cover image Eat Naked: Unprocessed, Unpolluted, and Undressed Eating for a Healthier, Sexier You

Eat Naked: Unprocessed, Unpolluted, and Undressed Eating for a Healthier, Sexier You

Margaret Floyd. New Harbinger, $16.95 trade paper (192p) ISBN 978-1-60882-013-9

Floyd, a Certified Healing Foods specialist, brings her experience with improving health and increasing vitality through diet to a wide audience. Beginning with a primer on healthy eating, Floyd recommends that "naked" foods ("fresh, whole, organic, homemade") comprise 80% of a diet, leaving a 20% leeway for special occasions. "When you eat mostly naked foods, your body will find its natural equilibrium...Your cravings will diminish and you won't feel deprived." Floyd, a proponent of the thinking behind Nourishing Traditions, rejects most forms of soy and gluten, and recommends raw dairy and soaked grains. Early chapters review categories of foods and conclude with easy-reference charts for "Best, Next Best, Okay, and Steer Clear" choices. Following tips on reducing stress, shopping for natural ingredients, and simplified cooking, Floyd dedicates a third of her book to recipes created with Chef James Barry, covering basics (Chicken Stock, Balsamic Vinaigrette), innovative uses for vegetables (Raw Cauliflower Couscous), colorful entrees (Tortilla-less Green Enchiladas, Seared Salmon with Garlic Broccoli Rabe and Summer Squash), and sweet treats (Coconut Nut Date Balls). Floyd's message won't be new to anyone on the healthy fringe; for most everyone else, it could be quite a palate cleanser. Photos. (June)