restaurants

  So when you think of Houston, Texas the image of an environmentally city may not be what you envision. And, well you'd be correct. It's true Houston is well known for big hair, big houses and  big oil;  Plus in my experience residents don't walk anywhere (one exception may be across the popular Galleria mall) and recycling bins in public areas are somewhat scarce. But enough Houston criticizing - for today ;)  While visiting the city recently I found a restaurant gem I had to share. Haven restaurant is all about seasonal fare and inventive dishes. The atmosphere is polished yet earthy and formal enough for a special occasion but not too stuffy for a slightly boozy brunch. Plus, it's a green certified restaurant. Haven's produce, herbs, and honey are grown and harvested from their organic garden located on the property.

When you think of the Midwest you may not immediately think "hip vegan cafes." I certainly didn't. The truth is some of my Midwest dining experiences have been challenging as someone who doesn't eat any meat or poultry. When I found out I would be spending a significant amount of time in Cleveland, Ohio I wondered what a veggie loving lady was to do... Cleveland offers an impressive restaurant scene with big-time restaurateurs like Michael Symon of The Chew and Rocco Whalen each providing several four star restaurants. But, during my time in this city I've noticed that they loooove their pig - and put it on everything from greens to fish.

When I first moved to Philly, I enjoyed a nice evening at the Plough & the Stars, Olde City Restaurants & some of the other top 25 douchiest bars of Philly. Luckily, the evolution of Philadelphia's food scene has evolved with my taste buds. Philly's finest restaurants & bars continues to focus on innovative vegan, local & sustainable options for diners!  Here are some of the hottest spots to satisfy your sustainable conscious:

Eating local and organically on the run can be stressful. SweetGreen aims to make it a little easier to get tasty, good-for-you and the planet food. SweetGreen dubs itself as “the answer to a new era of fast-casual dining.” Located in University City at 3925 Walnut St. SweetGreen is an ideal spot for Penn and Drexel students. Or, anyone in the neighborhood for that matter! The company was founded by... Read on after the jump.

Here’s a recipe for Stuffed Peppers using mostly seasonal ingredients that’s vegan and oh so delicious. It’s one of my go-to’s when I’m not sure what I want to have for dinner. It takes a few pots and pans but is simple, and you can even make it ahead and pop in the broiler or microwave to enjoy later. Try it for dinner tonight!

Typically, we see lots of new companies giving momentum to the green movement - which is why when Philly's oldest pub goes green, it's even cooler. 150-year old McGillin’s Olde Ale House (13th & Drury) recently chose to switch from traditional light bulbs to energy-efficient LED lighting to both reduce their carbon footprint & energy costs. McGillin’s has already started their switch to completely LED lighting that lasts up to 50 x's longer than their current lighting (90% less energy than traditional bulbs), saving the pub’s electricity costs by more than 25%. Besides reducing fossil fuels, McGillin’s efforts to go green include strict recycling practices and focusing on local draft beers instead of choices bottled and shipped long distances. Chris Mullins, co-owner of McGillin’s says,

Looking for a green wedding cake in Philadelphia? The Night Kitchen Bakery has been a Philadelphia landmark for over 25 years with infamous cakes, "Best of Philly" brownies, sticky buns. To top it off, they recently became a Certified Green Restaurant (like Pita Pit) from the Green Restaurant Association. The GRA is a non-profit organization that helps restaurants become environmentally sustainable. Night Kitchen Bakery has implemented these green steps in the process: