Tasty Treats

Language of Love

By Renee Poirier
Photography by Francis Tetrault

We encourage you to share your tasty treats with us. Delicious meal ideas – just like mom used to make. E-mail your recipe or suggestions to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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Mother’s Day is one holiday that people do not overlook, double book, or somehow forget. Perhaps we feel guilty for the labour pains some of us now understand. So now, we stand in the Hallmark aisle and either tear up or laugh out loud. We understand. We can repay her with her favourite currency: food. After all, it has been the language of love for eons. Here are some healthy choices that are clever, fool proof, and modern enough to impress a mother who knows best. The restaurant-style appetizer is easy and will become a family favourite. The juicy chicken burger won’t dry out, and the heart-healthy salad has a fresh lemon zing and an amazing texture. Make these dishes together and enjoy a glass of wine. Don’t leave the kitchen a mess, because now it’s time to prove she raised you right. Bon appetit.

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ASIAN LETTUCE WRAP

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken breast, diced
• 1 celery stick, chopped
• 4 crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup Farkay chow mein noodles
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp Hoisin sauce
• iceberg lettuce
• ½ cup peanuts (optional)
• fresh cilantro (optional)
• hot sauce (optional)

How to prepare:

• brown chicken in sesame oil
• add celery and sliced mushrooms
• add Farkay noodles, sesame oil, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and Hoisin sauce
• mix well and cover for 5 minutes
• core the lettuce and carefully separate leafs
• fresh cilantro and hot sauce areoptional garnishes

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HOME-STYLE CHICKEN BURGER

Ingredients:

• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 3 crimini mushrooms
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp parsley
• sprinkle of crushed chili pepper
• ½ cup whipped cream
• ½ kg ground chicken breast
• mayonnaise (optional)
• garlic salt (optional)
• 3 oz asiago cheese (optional)

How to prepare:

• dry-fry panko crumbs till dark golden
• add panko, diced mushrooms, basil, parsley, and chili pepper to bowl
• add chicken and whipped cream to bowl last
• gently toss and mix with your clean hands and shape your patties
• cook patties in a large skillet or BBQ
• I prepared the buns with mayo, garlic salt and asiago cheese

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POPPY SEED SALAD

Ingredients:

• 1 package fresh spinach
• 3 oz blue cheese
• 1-2 pears
• 1 lemon
• 2-3 tsp poppy seed

How to prepare:

• add one large handful of spinach to each plate
• add 2 inches of blue cheese per plate
• core the pear(s), allowing half for each plate
• add 2 tbsp lemon juice to each pear piece to prevent browning
• add 1 tsp of poppy seeds to each
• You can also substitute with strawberries when in season

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WINE LIST

• Mont Auriol Merlot – an organic southern France wine with ripe juicy fruit flavours and mellow tannins
• Mont Auriol Sauvignon Blanc – a crisp wine with citrus and gooseberry notes

These $17 dollar wines can be found at Sunterra Cellar.