Book Roundup Wednesday: Sustainable Diets

Every Wednesday, we review a selection of new and upcoming books addressing a specific aspect of environmentalism. Today we're recommending books about green, vegan, and raw diet lifestyles.

Eat Naked: Unprocessed, Unpolluted, and Undressed Eating for a Healthier, Sexier You (by Margaret Floyd, $17, New Harbinger, June 2011): After suffering from an insatiable appetite as a "junk-food vegetarian," author Margaret Floyd turned to unprocessed, organic, simple foods and found herself feeling full and slimmed down. Floyd shares her tips and recipes for a "naked" diet in this informative book.

The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life: Cruelty-Free Crafts, Recipes, Beauty Secrets, and More (by Melisser Elliott, $17, Skyhorse, 2010): This edgy, all-encompassing guide shows that veganism isn't just a diet, it's a lifestyle. Chock-full of recipes and tips, the hip book provides practical information about which products are or aren't vegan, how to cook for non-vegans, and how to connect with the vegan community. Profiles of vegan chefs, bloggers, lingerie designers, and tattoo artists help inspire readers.

Another Fork in the Trail: Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes for the Backcountry (by Laurie Ann March, $18, Wilderness Press, May 2011): This clean, helpful guide provides all the information you'll need to eat homemade, meatless meals on the trail. Tailored for outdoorspeople, food-prep instructions include estimates of dehydration time and tips for rehydrating meals at camp.

The Raw Truth: Recipes and Resources for the Living Foods Lifestyle (by Jeremy A. Safron, $20, Celestial Arts, 2011): Author Jeremy Safron says, "All living creatures on the planet, except for humans, eat their food in a raw form." Think you can't make lasagna and pizza without using an oven? Think again. Safron, a strong believer in the advantages of eating only non-cooked foods, provides hundreds of creative recipes for a living-food lifestyle.

Frugavore: How to Grow Organic, Buy Local, Waste Nothing, and Eat Well (by Arabella Forge, $17, Skyhorse, Aug. 2011): Eating local and organic can be expensive. If you're an omnivore trying to eat healthy on a tight budget, this book is a great resource. Drawing inspiration from traditional peasant recipes, Arabella Forge makes a sustainable table an attainable goal for anyone.

--Della Watson