Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar

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We've been charmed by vegan author Isa Chandra Moskowitz since first espying the cover of her book, VEGAN BRUNCH. A hip New York chick (now based in Portland) with warm almond brown eyes, we imagined she talked a mile a minute- with spunk and style.

When her new book - VEGAN COOKIES INVADE YOUR COOKIE JAR - was released, we knew it was time to get a feel of her fabulousness in person- and share it with EDGE readers around the world of EDGE.

Here's what we found:

Vegan :: Not just salad and wheatgrass juice

EDGE: How long have you been a vegan chef?

Isa Chandra: I've been cooking vegan for more than 20 years now! I was 16 when I started. I've always loved animals so as soon as I figured out you could cook and eat without any animal products, I was on board.

There wasn't a major epiphany; it was sort of a gradual progression. The same way I wouldn't want to hurt (or eat!) a cat or a dog, I wouldn't want to eat a pig or a cow or a chicken. And the same goes for their milk, that is meant for their babies, not for us.

EDGE: Did you write cookbooks before turning vegan?

IC: Nope! Veganism is pretty much what got me interested in cooking.

EDGE: Lots of us know your dessert titles. Have you written savory food cookbooks? If so, what should we look for?

IC: Yes, indeed, I've got a few out there: VEGAN WITH A VENGEANCE, VEGANOMICON, and of course VEGAN BRUNCH.

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EDGE: Do you approve of sugar, or do you prefer honey/other sweeteners? Where do you stand on artificial sweeteners?

IC: I'm just fine with sugar, although I'm always interested in using other sweeteners, like agave and maple syrup.

I'm not in support of artificial sweeteners; I definitely prefer food over chemicals. If I want something sweet but don't want to eat sugar I'll grab an apple. If I want a drink, I opt for ice tea or lemonade with agave.

EDGE: What are some of your favorite recipes? (So that readers can try these first!)

IC: It's hard to pick favorites, but the ones I've made most often are the Espresso Brownies, Macadamia Ginger Drops and Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies.

EDGE: What are your favorite vegan restaurants in the cities you've lived in or know well? Our readers would love to hear your recommendations.

IC: In Portland I like Blossoming Lotus, Vita and Beta Lukas Ethiopian. My favorite food carts there are Native Bowl and Asaase Palace. In SF I like Millenium when I can shell out those big bucks, but I also like Cha Ya and Cafe Gratitude and lots of burrito places of course.

In LA I keep it simple with Real Food Daily and Flore. In NYC I like Candle for my pricey choice and since I'm from there, too many places to even mention - Vegetarian Dim Sum House is great for super cheap and creative Chinese food.

In Boston I find myself at Vegetarian Planet a lot and Horizons in Philly.

Next :: Vegan diets and health

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EDGE: What do you see as the most salient/prevalent health issues associated with a vegan diet; what should new adapters pay special attention to?

IC: I'm not a doctor so I don't like to give out medical advice, but as with any diet, make sure you get your greens in. With veganism in particular, make sure you get your b12.

EDGE: I was recently in Portland to do a travel piece for this site and fell in love with the city. How long have you lived there, and what prompted the move?

IC: About 2 years. I just needed a change. Portland is beautiful and has great produce and is a very vegan-friendly place.

EDGE: What are your current activities besides writing; do you have a cooking school, restaurant, cater, parallel career.

IC: I don't have another career, I do a lot of food activism; benefit dinners, bake sales and outreach.

Isa Chandra Moskowitz' books are available at most bookstores, or online at Amazon.com

Learn more about Isa Chandra - and get lots more great information on vegan living - at her website: http://www.theppk.com