Party Planet

You may have noticed that I'm a big fan of parties, party food, and party drink. But it's a proven fact that a party that is bad for Mama Earth is 42.3% less fun than a party that is eco-friendly.

Therefore, when I was invited to a potluck, I decided to try a recipe from Alicia Silverstone's cookbook The Kind Diet, which is dedicated to recipes that are easy on the earth because they are all vegan.

I settled on Artichoke, Mushroom, and Leek Crostini, which was also featured on Oprah earlier this year (click here to find the recipe on Oprah's website).

To save time, I used store-bought pesto instead of the homemade that the recipe calls for, and I mixed it with the homemade artichoke spread. I also couldn't find some of the Asian ingredients, like umeboshi vinegar, so I substituted white wine.

Fresh cut leeks are always gorgeous.

The crostini turned out to be a delicious and very sophisticated dish. They did take a little while together, so give yourself time if you're going to try these out. All in all, however, I highly recommend them.