Wildflower Restaurant

Thursday night + 8 good friends (hungry and ready to eat) + Wildflower Restaurant = Great Evening!
I had never been to Wildflower (located downtown Edmonton in the Matrix Hotel at 10009- 107 St NW)  though I had heard a lot about it. I was so excited to see their menu and experience the food.
We all agreed- this food wasn't meant to be eaten. It was meant to be TASTED. (Now that is a review if I have ever given one! haha!)

 To cleanse our palates. Honestly can't remember what was in this... but it did cleanse!

(FYI: Apologies for the photos- they were taken with my blackberry!)

The Bread: I was considering resisting the bread, because often it isn't as good as you think it'll be and it fills  you up so you don't enjoy the main course as much.  I'm glad I didn't say no, because this bread was fresh, hot and had a touch of sweet! Truly a delight!

Matt and I had Mesquite-Grilled Sockeye  Salmon Medallions. The salmon was stuffed with king crab and lobster. On the side were prawns and scallops and steamed veggies. There was also gnocchi. The sauce was sweet and went well with the fish... Really delicious and flavorful entrée.

 However, I don't think the salmon I ordered had anything on Wildflower's Saskatoon Infused Medicine Hat Venison Chop. Yeah, look at that plate! The venison was SOOOOO tender. It melted in your mouth! It was over a bed of couscous and the side was a venison ragout (also very tender.) I would order this if I went back.

Here is the Peppercorn Herb-Crusted Bison Tenderloin, with bread pudding, butternut squash puree and a blackberry sage reduction.  Jeff said that the bison was great, but his favorite part was the butternut squash!

Other orders (not photographed with my blackberry... really need a camera!) included:
Chicken Liver Pate & Ciabatta Crostini
Caesar Salad
Pear & Hickory Glazed Chicken Supreme
I know I am missing a few... haha! Regardless, I don't think there were any complaints. We all savored our meals to the last bite!
The servers were also spot on. Very attentive and on the ball. The restaurant itself has a really nice ambiance and comfortable seating. I also liked the set up of the tables- at least where we were sitting, we were not surrounded by too many other tables- we had space, even though the restaurant is on the smaller side!  The bathrooms were also very clean (which is important- a bad bathroom can make or break an experience.)
I can't wait to go back to Wildflower Restaurant again and try some more of their creations. Next time I plan on ordering some appetizers or their lighter fare- just so I can have more variety! Truly a great Edmonton Restaurant!

Thai Peanut Chicken

Here is what I had for dinner last night!

 I was driving home, thinking what will I make for dinner?? Then it dawned on me: I have chicken, I have peanut butter, soy sauce, peanuts, rice and veggies- TADA!
Here is my recipe for Thai Peanut Chicken:

Serves whatever you and your company's appetite is (2-4)- we had 3 servings.
2 chicken breasts
1 tbsp olive oil
2 clove garlic
salt and pepper
1 cup brown rice (cook in 2 cups water)
2 tbsp peanut butter
soy sauce
water
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp pancake syrup
1/2 red pepper
1/2 yellow pepper
1 head broccoli
1/4-1/2 cup peanuts

1: Start rice in saucepan or rice cooker. Will take about 50 mins to cook.
2: Heat pan with olive oil, and cook and brown up slices of chicken breast with salt and pepper and minced garlic.
3: Make sauce: peanut butter (if you use natural peanut butter like I do and you are near the bottom of the jar, put it in the microwave to soften.), soy sauce, cayenne and syrup. If it is too thick, add some water.
4: Once chicken is cooked, add veggies, sauce and peanuts to the chicken. Let veggies cook.
5: Top your serving of rice with the peanut chicken and veggies and enjoy!!

This is just a great idea...

So everyone knows how much I love oatmeal! I generally dislike the prepackaged oatmeal and like to cook my oatmeal on the stove. It just tastes better this way (and its healthier. win win win...)

Anyway, yesterday I was reading in some magazine about different ways to use your slow cooker. UH HUH!

I give you:

Steel Cut Oats- Slow Cooker Style!!!!

 Now, if you know steel cut oats, you know that they take FOREVER to cook. FOREVER!!! They so worth it though and typically they are my "weekend" oatmeal, because I have more time to cook them. NOT ANYMORE!!!!!!
3 cups of water
2 cups of oats
Turn your slow cooker on and walk away.
I added some cinnamon once the oats were 3/4 of the way cooked.
Enjoy hot or cold for the rest of the week! I like to mix fruit, cottage cheese/plain yogurt, nuts and nut butters into my oatmeal, but thats just because I'm weird. Eat your oatmeal however you like. But DO use your slow cooker. Its the best advice I have ever gotten from a woman's magazine. HA!

So on this topic: How do you like your oatmeal?

LC

I am a bad blogger

Hi Friends and Readers!
This post is an apology for being such a bad blogger. I haven't updated in over a month... and yes, I do have the excuse of being in Europe for 2.5 weeks of that, but that is besides the point! Something about this past month and a half has me reevaluate things (once again). This has meant putting my blog on the back burner.
I was excited to return to blogging after my trip with a few updates about all my eats across the pond... however, my camera was stolen with all of my trip's photos. I am angry and disappointed, no doubt, but what can you do? I will say this: I ate lots of pasta, pizza and croissants. I enjoyed cappuccinos and wine. Had a great Indian meal in London. Even though there were a few busts in my food travels (there always has to be) I enjoyed and savored every bite!
What this means is you'll have to wait a few more days for a new update. I am sure I'll have something for you all soon- (especially with this jet lag I have more time than I could ever want!)
I want this blog to be more coherent and clear and focused. Looking back on this last year, it has been all over the place. Food, dieting, fitness, restaurants. They are all part of this food blog and will continue to be. That is how I think and feel and approach food and life. However, I am striving for some kind of consistency and routine. We'll see what happens. I might just be the kind of blogger that is all over the place!
Expect these posts in the upcoming weeks :
Being Naturally Thin
Fasting
Kettlebells
Chocolate (nom nom nom nom...)
Oatmeal (my goodness I missed my oatmeal while I was travelling...)
Delux Burger Bar

Okie. With that, I'm going to drink another cup of java, do some laundry and get on with my day.

Happy Eating Everyone!!

LeslieChomp