“Gorgeously Green Diet” Promises Wasting Less Can Lead to Weighing Less

Eating with the planet in mind can lessen your waistline as well as your waste output.

We always start the year with two promises: To eat more healthfully (especially after the holiday indulgences); and to further shrink our impact on the environment. The Gorgeously Green Diet (Plume, 2009) — the follow-up to eco-expert Sophie Uliano’s bestseller Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life (Collins Living, 2008) —  promises that greening our diet is better for the planet as well as our health and wallet.

Uliano outlines three diet plans: light green, for those who are interested in taking steps to becoming more eco-friendly; bright green, for someone ready to make dramatic changes, and deep green, for the person who already has a light impact but could use some hints and eating tips. The “Eating Plan Primer” chapter gives some helpful advice to demystify labels on such items as eggs, meat, cheese, sweeteners and produce. The book also encompasses dining out, saving money — with eye-catching sections such as “Organic Cuisine for Less Than the Price of a Burger King Meal” — and energy efficiency in the kitchen, from appliances to recycling labels on plastic bottles. Uliano also includes a fitness chapter and recipes for natural skin and hair care, as well as a resource guide and breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert recipes. Here’s one of our favorites:

Quinoa With White Beans, Spinach and Mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup quinoa
3 cups vegetable stock
2 cups cooked great northern beans
1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
2 cups chopped spinach
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the quinoa and cook for another minute. Add the stock, bring to a simmer, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the beans, mushrooms and spinach and cook for another 3–4 minutes, stirring well. Spoon into bowls and top with cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

NUTRITION SCORE (per serving)
374 calories
24% fat
Fat 10 g
Carbs 57 g
Protein 15 g
Fiber 11 g
Calcium 117 mg
Iron 4.8 mg
Sodium 363 mg

We think this easy-to-use guide is a great way to start off the new year. Have you made any resolutions to green your eating habits?

Tags: Agriculture, Agronomy, Botany, Burger King B.V., Chenopodium, energy efficiency, Garlic, Grains, Hospitality/Recreation, Meal, New Year's Day, olive oil, Quinoa, Sophie Uliano, tablespoons olive oil, Tropical agriculture, Underutilized crops