Once you’ve received your copy of The Gorgeously Green Diet be sure to take the pledge, as you will automatically be entered into winning all kinds of really fantastic goodies, including an Electra Townie Bicycle. Also, be sure to join the G.G. Diet message board and sign up to find a buddy. When you’re trying a new way of eating and living, it really helps to have a buddy to help you along the path. Think of your buddy as a like-minded friend, who like you, is trying to become a little leaner and a little greener one day at a time. I also encourage you to find a buddy who lives in a completely different region/country – that way you can do a kind of cyber pen-pal thing! Stay posted for all kinds of wonderful giveaways over the next month and don’t forget to make use of our money-off coupons. Remember, the way you eat is preventative healthcare at its best – so don’t compromise!

My daughter and I are gearing up to bake a bunch of Easter cookies for this weekend, however, it’s always a little alarming as she is extremely heavy-handed with the sprinkles and mom gets to look on in horror as all those harmful dyes get layered on. Thank Goodness that India Tree has come to the rescue with their Nature Colors – a line of eye-popping colored sprinkles made from natural vegetable colorants. I’ll be stocking up, as cookie and cake baking has become a very popular pastime is our house of late.

It’s extraordinary how something as simple as a plastic water bottle can cause so much harm. Sheryl Crow believes that leaving bottled water in your car can be very dangerous! The reason is that the heat reacts with the chemicals in the plastic and this releases dioxins into the water. Dioxins are a class of chemicals which have increasingly been found in breast cancer tissue. Also be really careful about heating or freezing certain plastics. No no’s include: any kind of plastic wrap in the microwave, any kind of plastic container in the microwave, water bottles in the freezer and even leaving hot foods to cool down in plastic containers. Make absolutely sure that you don’t heat frozen meals, TV dinners, instant noodles/soups etc in the microwave either – transfer contents to a ceramic bowl instead. Camelbak and Klean Kanteen have great non-leaching water bottles and Chantal have the best ever eco-friendly bake-ware called “Make & Take” –  the whole line can go from oven to table, to freezer to microwave and are Read the rest of this entry »

I have just returned from Chicago, where I cooked alongside a roster of celebrity chefs on the GOHO stage at the International Home Show Exhibit. I demoed how to get three delicious meals out of one beautiful organic chicken. I wanted to show that green eating is not only good for your health, your weight and the planet, but it’s also really good for your pocketbook. Making good use of leftovers (trust me, every single part of the chicken was used,) is a big part of putting the green back into your wallet. All three recipes are in my new book, The Gorgeously Green Diet – How to Live Lean and Green, which you can you hands on, on April 22^nd Earth Day (it’s currently available for pre-order). I also had my QVC debut, which was quite an experience! Read the rest of this entry »

How many plastic straws do you throw away each week? Do you or can you recycle them? You can recycle them in most city curbside recycling programs, however, you can do away with plastic straws altogether by purchasing a Dharma Straw. These beautiful straws are made from hand -blown glass and are so break-resistant that they come with a lifetime guarantee. My daughter and her friends adore drinking from them. You can also buy a little carrying pouch, so you can take one along to work or even to a restaurant. What an ingenious little product.

I love rice – almost all kinds, with Basmati coming in as a firm favorite. Because it’s such a staple in our house, I make sure that I always buy it organic because rice happens to be a very heavily pesticide-laden crop. For the G.G. girl, I recommend buying organic rice in bulk so you can save a few pennies. If you have a Whole Foods near you, you’re in good shape as their organic bulk bins are great value. One of my favorite brands is Lundberg Family Farms. I actually met the owner this weekend at Expo West Natural Foods convention. He is a great guy who is continuing the third generation of a family business that respects and nurtures the environment. I love that their rice is local (U.S.) and it’s delicious. Lundberg rice chips take a chip to a whole new level of salty, crunchiness. Eaten with a garlicky humus or  white bean dip is heaven.

Okay, so this week we are talking about going vegan or vegetarian. This discussion was sparked by the fact that Oprah is going vegan for 21 days, in the hope of cleansing her body. As we discussed yesterday, giving up meat is an earth-friendly choice for many reasons, however, a great reason now is that you can shave a chunk of money off your grocery store bill. With food prices dramatically rising, we are all looking for ways to cut corners and become healthier.
I make many, tasty and hearty vegetarian dishes that are organic and relatively inexpensive and I rarely buy processed food (which really keeps costs down).
How about you? Why not share some money-saving tips with the girls!

I love a holiday because even if there’s just a ray of sun poking through, we get grilling. I love to smother a bowl of fresh veggies with olive oil, garlic and fresh herbs and grill them until lightly brown. I then serve them over a bed of nutty brown rice -yum!
What is the most eco-friendly choice for grilling – gas grills, electric or charcoal?
Natural gas is hands-down the best choice as it is the cleanest, most energy-efficient way to bar-be-que and it’s more eco-friendly than electricity.
Charcoal and wood burn off tiny soot particles that cause horrible pollution.
A gas grill is also more energy-efficient than an indoor oven – so if the rain and snow has stopped, out you go!

This is the time of year that you can have your flowers and eat them too!
I adore Nasturtiums. They are super-easy to grow and need little maintenance. I grow them in and around greenery as their bright orange petals are like little jewels. When I make a salad, I pluck the flowers and scatter them over the top. They look devine and add a peppery tang to the leaves. I suggest tossing the salad before adding them and you don’t want to crush or push them down to the bottom of the bowl.

One of my favorite early summer treats are Zucchini Blossoms. My local farmer’s market sells them in bags. They are really inexpensive, which I think is bizarre as they should be considered to be a delicacy. I fill each flower with a teaspoon of goat cheese and a fresh basil leaf. I then squish the top of the petals together to seal in the cheese.
Use a cast iron skillet if you can. Add 3 tablespoons of grapeseed oi and heat it to the point of smoking, then carefully place your blossoms in the hot oil with a pair of tongs. They will need about 2 mins on each side. Take great care when turning them as they are super-delicate.
Devour while still piping hot.

As our farmer’s markets are now over-flowing with zucchini of every size and shape and color (and the prices are low), now is the time to get out your stainless steel pan and cook this fantastic recipe. It works as a vegetarian entree if you serve it with a hearty green salad and crusty olive bread, or you can serve it as a side dish. You are in for a real treat.

3 large zucchini
1 medium onion
olive oil
4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
1 large egg
4oz feta cheese, crumbled
1 small bunch of parsley, chopped
1 small bunch of basil, chopped
2 crushed garlic gloves

Coursely grate the zucchini and place in a colander, sprinkle with salt and leave in the sink for an hour.
Heat a little olive oil in your pan, add the onions on a low heat until they have softened. Place a small plate over the zucchini in the colander and squeeze out any excess water (need to be very dry).
Add the chopped garlic and zucchini to the onions until the mixture begins to turn golden. Add the flour and continue to cook for another couple of minutes. Beat the egg in a small bowl, then add the feta and herbs, salt and pepper. Stir into onion mixture. Grab another pan and heat about 3 tablespoons of olive oil, then drop in heaped tablespoons of the batter and fry until brown on the underside, then flip over. Lift them out with a spatula and place on a pretty oven-proof platter.
SALSA
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cups of organic cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup pitted black olives, chopped
2 tablespoons of chopped mint
1 bunch of arugula, chopped

Mix all the ingredients together and leave for half and hour for the flavors to mingle.
Spoon into a pretty bowl and decorate with a sprig of fresh basil.