Michel Nischan's Sustainably Delicious Cookbook

Changing our food systems--and your dinner--for the better

Michel Nischan is always a step ahead.

Years before urban farming became a movement, the Connecticut-based chef had turned his backyard into a vast garden that feeds his family of seven.

And long before area restaurants figured out how to support local farms, Nischan laid the groundwork at restaurants like Heartbeat, Miche Mache and his latest venture, The Dressing Room, which he founded with the late Paul Newman.

Now, Nischan's Wholesome Wave Foundation has launched a program that doubles the value of food stamps at farmers' markets across the country.

And the guy still finds time to write excellent cookbooks. His latest, Sustainably Delicious, which draws on his expertise and experience from his long career as a sustainable-food pioneer, contains 100 recipes and a wealth of advice for the eco-minded home cook.

Nischan's recipes are as practical as they are personal, emphasizing everyday ingredients and seasonality over chef-y flourishes and exhaustive preparations.

To wit: This recipe for sweet pea soup (click here to download)–a simple, seasonal way to start a revolution in your own kitchen.