Bryanna Clark Grogan

Bryanna is the author of 7 popular vegan cookbooks, including vegan bestseller "Nonna's Italian Kitchen", and is co-author of several others.

Bryanna has devoted over 35 years to the study of cooking and nutrition, the last 15 to vegan cooking. Many of her (pre-vegetarian) recipes appeared in “The Harrowsmith Cookbook, Vol. I” and “The Harrowsmith Pasta Cookbook”. She wrote newspaper cooking columns for over 20 years, and was a frequent contributor and reviewer for Vegetarian Times magazine for about 5 years. In 2001 she became a “resident expert” and moderator of the Vegsource New Vegetarian discussion board.

She has conducted cooking workshops and classes in her local area and at numerous health and vegetarian conferences and gatherings in North America over the years (including several NAVS Summerfests) . In February 2002 she was a guest speaker at the International Scientific Conference on Chinese Plant Based Nutrition and Cuisine in Philadelphia, hosted by the American Vegan Society and the Institute for Plant Based Nutrition. In March of 2003, Bryanna demonstrated a vegan Italian menu and signed books at the Vegetarians of Washington 2-day "Vegfest" in Seattle. At the end of March 2004 she will be giving a workshop there again.

Bryanna was born in California, but has resided in British Columbia, Canada for many years. She raised a family of four children, also has two stepsons, and now has 6 grandchildren. She was a La Leche League leader (mother-to-mother breastfeeding support) for several years and taught cooking and baking at LLL International conferences in Chicago, Kansas City, Washington, DC and Anaheim, as well as serving as an Associate Editor for the LLL official cookbook, "Whole Foods for the Whole Family", still in print (NAL Books). She was also instrumental in opening the first vegetarian restaurant in Courtenay, BC.

Bryanna loves experimenting and learning. The main focus of her cooking is low-fat vegan cooking, particularly ethnic cooking. She is considered an expert at making tofu appealing to die-hard “soyaphobes”, but in her books 20 Minutes to Dinner, Nonna’s Italian Kitchen, she has addressed the needs of vegans allergic to soy by providing non-soy alternatives to most of the soy-based recipes. With each book she learns more about the processes of cooking—how and why things work. Her great joy is sharing what she’s learned with others.

Bryanna plans to write a mystery novel with a vegan detective, combining two of her life interests! She also loves dancing, particularly Middle Eastern and Latin, and has danced with the Melissae Dance Company of Denman Island, BC for over 5 years. You may visit Bryanna’s website at www.bryannaclarkgrogan.com.