If you don’t recognize Arran Stephens, you may recognize his cereal box. Along with his wife, Ratana, Stephens is the co-founder and owner of Nature’s Path Organic, North America’s largest organic and independent breakfast food company. Now Stephens, who has been at the leading edge of the organic food movement for decades and a vegetarian his entire adult life, has penned the charming, primer-like book “The Compassionate Diet: How What You Eat Can Change Your Life and Save the Planet” which distills the history, philosophy and core benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle in a completely approachable and nonjudgmental fashion.This is easy reading, full of interesting, digestible facts, and quotes from the likes of Gandhi and Einstein. Warm up with Stephens, then move on to Pollan.

I’m giving away a copy of this lovely little book. All you have to do to enter this giveaway is leave a comment on this post by 5 PM PST Thursday, October 27, telling me what your favorite vegetarian dish is, and how often you indulge in it. I’ll select the winner at random. Remember to comment using your real email address, so I can notify the winner. Ready, set, go!