Food politics and activism are the topic on everyone's lips--from journalists reporting salmonella in mass-produced peanut butter to soccer moms debating healthy snacks for the team. And yet, people are at a loss to translate philosophy into action in their personal lives. The Conscious Kitchen is the definitive guide to rethinking the kitchen and cooking by focusing on what's best for personal health and balancing it with what's best for the environment, all while keeping what's appetizing and delicious at the fore. Call it "smart green food," and it's the new way to shop for and cook food. Through interviews with the world's best-known chefs, cooking school instructors, food scientists, farmers, and others, Zissu sorts through various food issues to give readers the information they need to choose what works for their family based on what is important to them and what's practical.