Best New Cookbook: Urban Pantry

Cooking seasonally, locally and healthily is wonderful in theory, but the advice in many cookbooks seems geared toward those who have a kitchen that's the size of a city dweller's entire apartment. What do those who are short on space (and funds) do when they want to eat well? In Urban Pantry: Tips and Recipes for a Thrifty, Sustainable and Seasonal Kitchen, Amy Pennington starts with the basics: what you actually need in your tiny pantry and how to organize the little space you've got. Once the kitchen is in order you'll be surprised at how many dishes you'll be able to whip up with little effort and money. Pennington also helps you tiptoe into some more difficult areas of cooking, like making your own pasta and canning. ($12.75 at amazon.com)

See all the 2011 Heart of Green Nominees for best new cookbook.

— Gloria Dawson