Hot Elements features ten recipes developed by RRC Polytech Culinary Arts student Aileen Lopez, who worked under the supervision of Culinary Research and Innovation Manager Joel Lamoureux. Each recipe showcases a base ingredient improved by a Genome Prairie research project.

Based in Winnipeg and Saskatoon, Genome Prairie develops and manages genomics and bioscience research that addresses regional priorities such as agriculture, human health, the environment, energy, and mining.

One of Genome Prairie’s goals is to improve the quality, resilience, nutritional content, and yield of plants and animals used to feed the world. For instance, Genome Prairie and its collaborators have characterized and enhanced the flax plant’s genome to ensure complete use of its seeds and fibres, and enhanced the canola plant’s oil content and protein levels while reducing its fibre and saturated fatty acid content.

RRC Polytech’s print shop designed Hot Elements and printed 500 copies of the book for an industry event that brought together agri-food researchers from around the world. College staff also helped produce some of the book’s content. RRC Polytech Creative Communications student Manny Berkal-Sarbit provided photography.

The recipe for Lentil Perogies featured in this section is a take-off on one of the original recipes we developed as a capacity-building project for Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers.