If you have the option, use a toaster oven instead of a conventional oven. Why? Because you’ll save on time and use far less energy.

Tests have shown that a well-insulated toaster oven, with plenty of room for air to circulate around it, consumes half the energy than a conventional oven does. Plus, using a toaster oven will keep your kitchen cooler, meaning less work for your AC and even more energy savings.

But what can one cook in a toaster oven besides toast & bagels?
Toaster ovens are great for casseroles, cheesy nachos, small pizzas and my all-time fave the grilled cheese sandwich.

So get creative & be eco-friendly in your kitchen this summer with the toaster oven.

Did you know…
The consumption of animal fats and proteins has been linked to heart disease, colon cancer, lung cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, kidney disease, hypertension, obesity, and a number of other debilitating conditions.

Cows’ Milk - Contains high amounts of fat and protein that is way too much for people.
Eggs – Higher in cholesterol than most foods and are the leading contributor to cardiovascular disease.

But there’s good news…
The American Dietetic Association reports that vegetarian/vegan diets are associated with reducing the risks for all of these health conditions.

A well-rounded vegan diet will contain:

• Protein – From legumes (e.g., beans, tofu, peanuts) and grains (e.g., rice, corn, whole wheat breads and pastas)
• Calcium – From broccoli, kale, collard greens, tofu, fortified juices and soymilks
• Iron – From chickpeas, spinach, pinto beans, and soy products
• B12 – From fortified foods or supplements
• Fiber – From whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans

Try to avoid polystyrene (aka Styrofoam) for cups, plates, carry-out containers, meat trays, egg cartons and anything else that might touch your food. Not only is the material bad for the environment, but what you might not know is that it is also bad for you.

Polystyrene require petroleum to make, take eons to break down in a landfill, and can leach toxic chemicals into your food, specially when heated.

Polystyrene is marked with the plastic recycling code 6, however only some curbside pick-ups actually take it.

Choose a better food container for your health & the planet’s…like ceramic, recycled glass, paper or even safer plastics like numbers 1, 2 or 5.

Eating vegetarian or vegan out on the town can sometimes be a challenge. But have no fear…there are many restaurant options that offer great eco eats without all the guilt.

Here are the Top 5 Vegetarian Restaurants in Chicago:

1. Karyn’s on Green – Contemporary. Stylish. Vegan. With delicious food and a vibrant bar scene, Karyn’s on Green is making vegan sexy in the midst of Chicago’s traditional Greektown neighborhood. Serving lunch, dinner and drinks seven days a week in an atmosphere so chic you’ll forget it’s good for you… and the planet.
2. Life On Mars – Life On Mars strives to provide a variety of foods which are unique, animal-free and affordable.
3. The Chicago Diner – Chicago’s favorite vegetarian vegan restaurant diner & vegan bakery catering. The Chicago Diner was voted best vegetarian restaurant in Chicago in 2005 & 2009.
4. MANA food bar – From the owners of Sushi Wabi, MANA offers a meatless dining option in a warm tasteful environment.
5. Drew’s Eatery – Drew’s Eatery makes every effort to be as organic, local and green as possible. From the recycled glass tiles on the walls to the 100% biodegradable corn fiber take away containers, the idea behind this little eatery is simple: We all have choices in what goes into our bodies and into our environment. Why not make a choice that’s better for both?

Save yourself some time & money by making your coffee at home with a French coffee press.

The biggest eco-benefit to using a coffee press is the fact that they don’t use a non-reusable paper filter. Besides the obvious waste-decreasing benefit, no filter also means more flavor. Plus, if you tend to make coffee only for yourself, a French press is great because they’re often smaller than drip machines, allowing you to brew just one cup.

St. Patrick’s Day is tomorrow! Are you ready to celebrate the holiday in a truly Green way?

Here are the top 5 tips for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day the eco way:

1. Wear Organic Green Tees: One of the biggest St. Patty’s Day triditions is to wear green or an Irish slogan T-shirt. This year, instead of just wearing any old green T-shirt, wear an organic cotton or bamboo T-shirt! That way your green tee really is Green!
2. Drink Local Organic Beer: The other big St. Patrick’s Day tradition is a visit to the good ol’ pub! This year celebrate in an eco-friendly style by ordering an organic local beer on tap and in a re-usable glass mug of course.
3. Avoid Plastic Disposable Decorations: This is really a no brainer for any holiday. Cheap plastic accessories such as beads and plastic shamrock rings usually just get thrown out the next day, only to end up in landfills. So this year try making your own decorations and accessories for your party or purchase items you will actually re-use.
4. Eat Local & Organic: Another holiday favorite is to eating delicious meals. So this year try to make your Irish favorites by shopping at the local farmers market. It’s just not Green if your potato is flown from half way around the world.
5. Tint Your Brewski With Natural Dye: Artificial food coloring is nasty stuff, especially Green No. 3, which has been prohibited in the European Union and some other countries. I recommend trying Chefmaster’s all natural green food coloring instead. It is much healthier for you & your friends.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Next time you’re thinking seafood for dinner, don’t order the Chilean sea bass. The Environmental Defense Fund has issued a health advisory for it due to the high levels of mercury. Plus, scientists have warned it is critically over-fished and possibly on the road to extinction.

Chilean sea bass is a slow-growing fish that takes years to reach reproductive age, making it particularly vulnerable to overfishing. They can live to be six feet long and more than 50 years old, but fishermen are reporting smaller and smaller weights and lower catches.

Since Chilean sea bass live in remote Antarctic waters, law enforcement is difficult and large numbers of boats fish these waters illegally, without proper permits or gear, resulting in most Chilean seabass fished unsustainably.

And according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Chilean sea bass is caught with bottom longlines, which damage the seafloor and lead to high rates of bycatch, meaning the death of seabirds, turtles and other nontarget species.

Good alternatives to Chilean sea bass include:

• Striped bass
• Pacific halibut
• sablefish (black cod)
• Mahi mahi

For all you Vegans out there….Here are a few ways to substitute eggs in your everyday recipes.

You may want to experiment, as somethings will work better then others depending on the rest of your recipe. You can use these substitutes for replaces egg whites as well as egg yolks in baking. For the most part these replacers mimic what eggs do in all recipes.

Each quantity is equivalent to 1 egg:

• Ener-G Egg Replacer (follow directions on box)
• 1 banana (for cake recipes)
• 2 Tbsp corn starch
• 2 Tbsp arrowroot flour
• 2 Tbsp potato starch
• 2 Tbsp soy milk powder & 2 Tbsp water
• 2 Tbsp mashed silken tofu

I love fresh organic fruit! Who doesn’t?
But it is so hard to find at the chain supermarket stores & who has the time to run around for it.

Well, since 1998 The FruitGuys have been delivering it to you!

The FruitGuys was founded on the premise that bringing healthy brain food to the office can boost productivity, improve wellness and help companies improve their bottom lines. They provide fresh seasonal organic fruit from local farms to thousands of American businesses. The FruitGuys now also deliver to homes, schools & even dorm rooms.

The FruitGuys support the environment in many ways. One is by using eco-friendly packaging. Their uniquely designed boxes are made from between 75% to 100% post-consumer recycled cardboard (depending on area) and printed with soy-based inks. And in the San Francisco Bay Area, The FruitGuys even pick the used boxes up for reuse.

Eat healthy today by ordering from The FruitGuys!

Avoid things like individual juices, lunches in plastic trays, individual snack or veggie servings. Instead buy larger containers of juice and pack in a reusable thermos or bottle, separate snacks, veggies and treats into reusable airtight containers and pack in a lunch box or lunch tote. This may seem like extra work, but you will save so much money by buying bulk & have way less trash.