As an aspiring culinary student, I hope to one day own my own green restaurant...but until then I'm always looking up current businesses in the industry that are doing their part to contribute to a greener lifestyle to better our lives and our planet. If you live in the Chicagoland area or find yourself visiting sometime soon and need some help finding certified green restaurants, here's a short list to get you started! Bon appetit!

• Bleeding Heart Bakery, 2018 W.Chicago Ave., Chicago (773) 278-3638; country's first certified all-organic bakery, uses vegan marshmellows in their smores, and all-organic products in such items as beer bread, double chocolate stout teacake, and others
• Crust, 2056 W.Division St., Chicago; uses Midwest organic ingredients when available and then from Goodness Greenness in the wintery months, uses meats from Wisconsin's Pinn Oaks Ridge Farm
• Green Zebra, 1460 W.Chicago Ave., Chicago (312) 243-7100; baby organic veggies straight from garden to plate, as well as a number of dishes that uses locally grown and raised produce and cheeses
• Saloon Steakhouse, 200 E. Chestnut St., Chicago (312) 280-5454; eco-friendly steakhouse which uses Gunthorp Farms meat and local produce from Green City Market

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