Wellington resident Sarah Grossman won silver at the Taste Canada Awards for Good Food, Good Mood: 100 Nourishing Recipes to Support Mind and Body Wellness, co-authored with Tamara Green. 

Nutritionists and co-founders of the Living Kitchen, the duo’s first book was a collection of recipes developed for people going through cancer. Good Food, Good Mood has a wider audience: anyone interested in improving their mental wellbeing through food. 

The Taste Canada nod will help. ”It was such a surprise!” enthuses Ms. Grossman. “We feel very honoured and grateful,” she says, noting, “it’s not a traditional cookbook.” 

While some of those seem to be designed to induce stress — see Martha Stewart’s midnight omelette supper for 30 in Entertaining — this one takes the opposite approach. Flavourful, approachable recipes come with attention to the connection between your gut and your mind.

“In the microbiome there are trillions of microbes–good ones and bad ones—the good ones really help us with staying healthy. They are a huge part of our immune system, and they’re also a huge part of our mental health,” said Ms. Grossman. 

“They are always communicating back up to the brain, and some of our neurotransmitters are actually produced in the gut by these bacterias so that can affect how we’re feeling.”

The recipes offer ways to fuel good gut bacteria–fibre, probiotics, and prebiotics—with fare like zucchini pancakes with miso aioli, or a mint chip “ice cream” smoothie bowl.

“Nutrition doesn’t have to be limiting or really boring or untasty,” Ms. Grossman noted. The recipes are inspired by mediterranean, middle eastern, and asian flavours. 

“We love delicious sauces and dressings,” Ms. Grossman said. “That really brings out the flavour of vegetables.” 

Recipes are both approachable and feature easy-to-find ingredients. Basics like onions, garlic, and chia seeds, for example, are excellent sources of prebiotics. 

“It brings together more than just cooking. It’s giving people information about how to actually support your body from a nutrition angle.”  

Good Food, Good Mood is available at Books & Company in Picton and The Everything Store in Wellington.