A Reason to Give?
Check Out Our Earth Day Gift Guide

Written by Sofia Layarda, MPH, RD
Published in April 2009

(HealthCastle.com) Happy Earth Day! Perhaps you know someone celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or housewarming this month? Regardless of your reason for giving, we've created a list of books with a focus on sustainable living and eating that can help you create an Earth Day-themed gift. These books will give you or your gift recipient new ideas in the kitchen and support your efforts to cook your way to a greener lifestyle.

A Review of Earth Day Cookbooks

1. Book for the Budding Locavore: Recipes from America's Small Farms This book includes a very user-friendly guide to different types of vegetables and general tips or hints for cooking them successfully (not just boiling or steaming!). Authors Joanne Lamb Hayes and Lori Stein share kitchen-tested recipes contributed by members of community-supported agriculture (CSA) farms throughout the country. You'll find creative and useful tidbits, such as how to make a hearty sandwich spread using salad greens! A wide range of dishes are included - appetizers, baked goods, main entrees, and desserts. In addition, the Resources section is packed with useful information such as CSA contact information by state. This is a great book if you want to add new vegetables into your menu, or if you're trying to increase your family's vegetable intake and want some new recipe ideas.   2. Book for the Weight-Conscious: Go Green Get Lean Writing in a straightforward, no-nonsense style, nutritionist Kate Geagan shares specific tools and tips for a greener way of buying foods (e.g. bulk is not always best), cooking, and eating that will also help reduce your waistline. The book is packed with eco-friendly tips that are easy to implement, Geagan's own "green prescription" for every food group, and 4 weeks' worth of seasonal menu and recipes. The author even includes a whole section on "sustainable splurges," which address the occasional hankering for treats.   3. Book for Inquiring Minds: Tomorrow's Table An increasing number of consumers want to know how their foods are grown or produced. This book presents two points of view on genetically modified foods, as the authors are from opposite backgrounds: Pamela Ronald is a plant geneticist and her husband Raoul Adamchak is an organic farmer. The book manages to review the often intense, multi-faceted debate surrounding GM foods without collapsing into hysteria or sensationalistic statements. Both authors take turns discussing the complicated issue from their own standpoints, while distinguishing fact from fiction.   4. Book for the Recently Converted "Greenie": The Complete Idiot's Guide to Organic Living Perhaps you know someone who has recently committed to living a greener life, but has since been overwhelmed by "green" information overload? This would be a great book for them. Keeping true to the series' appeal, authors Eliza Sarasohn and Sonia Weiss navigate through the confusing maze of "green living labels" in an easy-to-read manner. Even though the book is not strictly food-focused, a significant part of it is devoted to food-related information, where an informative, friendly explanation is provided on everything from organic labeling, buying, and cooking to growing your own food.   5. Book for the Eager Environmentalist: Cool Cuisine Yes, we did list this book in last year's holiday gift guide, yet we've brought it back because there is nothing quite like it out there. Author Laura Stec is a chef who has partnered up with a climate scientist to present interesting facts on the global-warming tendencies of our food system. Stec follows this informative review with a "solutions" section as well as a "culinary how-to" section that teaches practical kitchen techniques, recipes, and tips for cooking up your own cool cuisine.

The Bottom Line

Earth Day happens once a year, but there is no reason not to eat greener at all times, whether it means greening your plate (with more plant-based foods) or greening your food buying behaviors (such as buying local and in-season when you can). Whatever your green goal may be, get inspired and get into action!

Disclaimer: HealthCastle.com did not, and will not, receive monetary compensation for this review. Editorial reviews on this website do not endorse commercial products or trade names.