Kelowna woman concocts a recipe for burgers for a new age

After months of experimenting in the kitchen, mad-scientist style, Myrna Selzler has updated an old recipe to one for today’s health-conscious consumer.

Selzler, a former real estate brokerage owner and business consultant, took her original flatbread recipe to another level, creating five flavours of plant-based meat alternatives.

Bodacious Artisan Foods is a Kelowna, B.C., company offering plant-based flatbread and meat-alternative dry mix products under the trademark BABz, a name that started as a nickname for their Burgerz and Breadz.

Just add water (or beer or wine) to the dry mixes, and within 30 minutes you are eating high-protein, high-fibre food.

“Our mission is to provide high-quality, easy-to-prepare plant-based foods,” says owner Selzler. “We want our customers to prepare nutritious foods for and with their family and friends with ease. And they don’t need to compromise quality, flavour or family time.”

Selzler has teamed up with Martin McDermott, a chef with 15 years of whole-food manufacturing experience in the health/energy bar-and-protein-powder industry.

McDermott’s extensive industry experience and connections have fast-tracked BABz products from a concept into consumers’ bellies in record time.

The seasonings for the five plant-based meat alternatives were created by Selzler’s brother, Wayne.

In 2014, Selzler was a kidney donor for Wayne, who has since been coming up with ways to season his food that suit his health requirements. These seasonings are the result of that; they contain minimal salt and sugar, maximizing the flavour profile of other spices.

A few years later, Selzler had her own health issues that created the desire for a change in diet.

“After a double mastectomy, I thought I could take better care of my health by transitioning to a plant-based diet. I hated the way that plant-based meat products looked (like badly fried brains) and tasted (like a carrot or a bean) and that they always fell apart. And there are all kinds of additives in other products.  Our products are designed to address all those issues. We source our products across Canada and the globe, seeking ethical, sustainable and natural ingredients that meet BABz high standards,” said Selzler.

BABz products are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free and vegan.

BABz products are now available online and at selected retail stores and restaurants listed at buybabz.com.