GrainsWest summer 2016

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The Food Issue 2016 11
BY RACHEL PETERSON
lenged a chef at the April Juno Awards ceremony in Calgary
to use pulses for the reception. “People are following chefs,
watching what they’re doing and wanting their recipes, so we are
working to create recipes, educate and really grow our own local
industry in partnership with chefs. It’s a real win-win.”
A special event that APG and ACTA collaborated on was the
Alberta Chef Pulse Development Day in June 2016. Ten accom-
plished Alberta chefs from Calgary and Edmonton participated in
a tour that included a crop walk to see pulses growing in the field
and a tour of Alberta Agriculture and Forestry’s Food Processing
Development Centre in Leduc. The chefs accepted the challenge
to develop a pulse-based product that could be enhanced at the
centre for retail sale in the future.
Liana Robberecht, executive chef at WinSport in Calgary,
created an “energy cookie” for pulse development day in part-
nership with pastry chef Melanie Hennessey. The cookie is made
of chickpea flour, lentils, dried fruits, spices and cricket flour to
boost the protein content even further.
“As WinSport caters to athletes, creating the energy cookie has
been an exciting project in which we are able to offer a healthy yet
delicious fuel for the many professional athletes who train here,”
said Robberecht. “The pulse workshop is like a think tank—an
exchange of ideas with some of the most talented chefs around.
Having the opportunity to share our recipes and ideas with each
other will push the boundaries of our own comfort zone into an
elevated pulse product. We are thrilled to be part of this event.”
The partnership between APG and ACTA also includes a num-
ber of culinary events featuring pulses that are open to the public
during International Year of Pulses. Visit
for details.
For pulse-producing nations like Canada, 2016 is a year full of
events, activities and initiatives aimed at increasing consumer
awareness and consumption of pulses. One of these initiatives
involves inviting people around the globe to take the Pulse Pledge
( to include more pulses in their diets. Alberta
farmers grew pulses on 1.8 million acres last year.
“IYP draws attention to important global issues like nutrition,
food security and environmental sustainability,” said Sylvan
Lake-area farmer Allison Ammeter, chair of APG and the IYP
Canada Committee. “This attention will ensure the Canadian in-
dustry will continue to grow and keep Canadian pulses compet-
itive at the farm level. It also emphasizes the important role that
beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas play in contributing to healthy
people and a healthy planet.”
Pulses are high in protein, iron and fibre, have a low glycemic
index and ¾ cup (175 mL) counts as one Canada’s Food Guide
serving as a meat alternative.
Many cultures around the world have known the nutritional
value of pulses for thousands of years and incorporated them into
their diets. IYP is a good opportunity to remind people about this
delicious and inexpensive source of protein.
“I’m really excited about International Year of the Pulses,
which I feel is an exciting opportunity to give pulses the long-
deserved spotlight this highly nutritious food deserves,” said Rob-
berecht. “Pulses have long been overshadowed by other proteins
and vegetables, but now it’s becoming a first choice for grocery
shoppers and chefs alike. I have been a longtime admirer of all
pulses, especially lentils and chickpeas, which are often found in
many of the dishes I create at WinSport.”
APG’s relationship with chefs blossomed in 2016, but the seed
was planted many years ago. The commission regularly engages
with student chefs through the Toque Demagny student cooking
competition and dinner, which takes place each November at
NAIT. Toque Demagny is one of Edmonton’s premier culinary
events, featuring the talents of NAIT’s culinary arts students and
a number of Alberta food products, including pulses. APG has
sponsored this student cooking competition for several years. The
student teams use pulses in their creations, and scholarships are
awarded in a variety of categories.
Chef outreach is also accomplished through APG’s member-
ship in Taste Alberta, which works to tell the Alberta food story
creatively so that Albertans understand that eating local supports
local economies. Pulses are highlighted at events such as Christ-
mas in November at Jasper Park Lodge and the Prairie on a Plate
dining series.
For more information about Alberta pulses, pulse events and
delicious pulse recipes, visit or follow APG on Twitter
@AlbertaPulse. To learn more about International Year of Pulses,
visit .
QUICK FACTS
• Pulses are the edible seeds of legumes
• They include beans, peas, lentils and
chickpeas
• Field peas are the most commonly grown
pulse in Alberta
• About 5,000 Alberta farmers grow
pulses
• 1.8million acres of pulses were grown in
Alberta in 2015
• The UN declared 2016 as International
Year of Pulses (IYP)
• Four themes of IYP are: Creating
Awareness; Food Security, Nutrition &
Innovation; Productivity & Environmental
Sustainability; Market Access & Stability