Blog Archives - HAPPY VEG

Spicy Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

1/7/2025

Spicy Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 35 Min

Yields: 3+

What You Need

1 Tbsp. Coconut Oil
2 Tbsp. EVOO
3 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
2 Red Thai Chilis
1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tsp. Ginger (from the jar)
1 Red Onion, finely diced
1 Large Carrot, peeled & finely diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, finely diced
6 + 2 Tsp. Vegan Red Curry Paste
1 1/4 C Split Red Lentils, rinsed
3 C PC Brand Plant-Based Chik'n Broth
400ml Full Fat Coconut Milk
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
GARNISH - Thinly Sliced Red Onion, Fresh Cilantro, Cream, Chilis, Lime

Directions

Begin heating the coconut oil, EVOO, pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, and chilis, in a medium sized pot set to just below medium heat. Once heated, let everything sizzle together for about 30 + seconds before adding the onion, pepper, and carrot. Season with a good pinch of both salt & pepper, stir, and cook those veggies about 7 minutes.
Make a well in the center of the pot and drop in the 6 tsp. curry paste. Let it sizzle in the center for a minute or so before stirring it in to the veggies, seasoning with another good pinch of salt, and continuing to cook for another 4 - 5 minutes, stirring as needed. Add the lentils and another good pinch of salt. Stir and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Pour in the broth and coconut milk and bring your soup to a boil. Once boiled, add 1/4 tsp. salt along with the last 2 tsp. curry paste & reduce the heat to a simmer.

Cover with a tilted lid and simmer 20 minutes, or until lentils are soft and fully cooked. Use an immersion blender to pulse the soup a few times. You don't want it fully blended, but blending some of it will intensify the flavours and make the soup a bit creamier versus chunkier.
Taste and adjust salt if desired. Garnish your bowls with onion, fresh cilantro, lime, & additional chilis if you like it nice and spicy. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

Stove-Top Cheesy Broccoli Shells

1/5/2025

Stove-Top Cheesy Broccoli Shells

Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 25 Min

Yields: 4 + Servings

What You Need

450g Large Shell Pasta
4 1/2 C Broccoli Florets
2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
1 Tbsp. EVOO
3 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1 Yellow Onion, finely diced
1 C Whipping Cream, room temperature
1/3 C 2% Milk, room temperature
1 Tsp. Dry Mustard Powder
1 C Monterey Jack with Jalapenos, shredded
2 C Extra Old Cheddar, shredded
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot of cold, generously salted water to a boil and leave covered.
Begin heating the butter, EVOO, garlic, and pepper flakes in a large skillet set to just below medium. Once heated, stir and let the garlic sizzle for about 30 seconds. Add the onions and a good pinch of both salt & pepper. Stir and continue to cook until the onions are soft, 7 - 9 minutes. Pour in the cream & milk, and wait for the sauce to start bubbling up at which point you'll whisk in your dry mustard powder. At the same time, drop your florets in to the boiling water and blanch them for a couple minutes until bright green and gorgeous. Strain the broccoli directly to the skillet with the cream and season with a good pinch of salt.
At this time, drop your pasta in to the boiling water. Reduce the temp of the skillet to a simmer and let that simmer away as your pasta cooks, stirring as needed. Once the pasta is almost al dente, strain it directly to the skillet with the sauce which will still be quite loose. Stir to combine everything in the skillet and let the pasta cook in the cream sauce for another 5+ minutes until the sauce has thickened up and noodles are perfectly al dente.
Turn off the heat and add both the cheeses along with a good ladle full of the hot pasta water. Start tossing everything together to melt the cheese in to the sauce. Continue tossing until the sauce is creamy and both cheeses have fully emulsified. Add additional pasta water if needed / desired for a creamier consistency. Taste and adjust your salt 7 pepper to your liking.
Serve and ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

Spicy Red Pesto Skillet Beans

1/3/2025

Spicy Red Pesto Skillet Beans

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: Approx. 30 Min

Yields: 2 Servings (Main)

What You Need

3 Tbsp. EVOO
3 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
Good Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
3 Tsp. Harissa Paste
1 Yellow Onion, finely diced
1 Tbsp. Fresh Basil, torn / chiffonade
1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
540ml can Salt-Free White Beans, drained & rinsed
2/3 C White Wine ( I used Pinot Grigio)
2/3 C + PC Plant-Based Chik'n Broth
1/2 Lemon
1/2 C Grana Padano, finely shredded
2 + Tbsp. Store-Bought Red Pesto
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
GARNISH / SERVE - Grilled Bread, Crumbled Feta Cheese, Lemon, Fresh Parsley, Basil, Pepper Flakes

Directions

Begin heating the garlic, EVOO, and harissa paste in a 10" skillet set to just below medium heat. Once heated, stir and let everything sizzle together for 30 + seconds before adding the onion and a good pinch of both salt & pepper. Stir and cook a few minutes before folding in the fresh basil and continuing for another minute or so. Drop in the tomato paste and let that sizzle up before stirring everything together and continuing to cook for about 3 - 4 more minutes.

Add the white beans and season once again with salt & pepper. Stir and let the beans come to temperature in the skillet, about 2 -3 minutes. Pour in the wine and let that simmer off until reduced by 2/3. Next, pour in the broth and season once again with a good pinch of salt & pepper. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let the beans cook 15 + minutes until tender with most fo the liquid having been cooked out. You still want a little saucy action. During the 15 minutes, if the beans start looking dry, add some more broth to keep them saucy and simmering.
Turn off the heat and fold in the juice from the 1/2 lemon, prepared pesto, and grana padano. At this point, taste and determine if you want to add additional pesto for more flavour. If not, adjust your salt to to your liking and set the beans aside a moment to grill your bread.
Garnish the skillet with crumbled feta cheese, a slice or two of lemon, some fresh parsley, and some fresh basil too. Scoop / spoon the beans on to your grilled toast and ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

Potato & Feta Omelet

1/1/2025

Potato & Feta Omelet

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 30 - 35 Min

Yields: 4 Servings

What You Need

1 C EVOO
1 Large Russet Potato
6 Large, Free-Range Eggs
2 small yellow Onions, halved & thinly sliced
1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
Feta Cheese
Fresh Parsley, chopped
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
SERVE - Green Salsa, Sour Cream

Notes

This recipe is surprisingly forgiving as I was very unsure of cook times when I tested it. As long as your eggs are cooked, you're good to go.
Don't be scared to flip even though the top is still loose. This is exactly what you want to ensure you have perfectly cooked omelet.
While I used green salsa and sour cream, you can serve it up with any sauce of your liking or eat it as is!

Directions

Add the EVOO to a 10" non-stick skillet and set the temperature to just above medium heat. Peel your potato and give it a rinse. Slice it in half length wise and using a mandolin set to the lowest setting, slice the taters in to thin half moons until finished. You should end up with roughly 1 1/2 C of thinly sliced russets. Once the oil is to temperature, carefully add the potatoes to the oil, doing your best to spread them out so oil can work its way around them. Once it starts bubbling away, all of the potatoes should be sort of engulfed in the bubbling. Stir the potatoes fairly often to ensure even cooking and if you notice they're going brown, reduce that oil temperature a bit. Cook until soft, about 13 - 15 minutes.

Place a large bowl under a colander and strain the oil / potatoes. Return the pan to the heat and reduce the heat to just below medium. Add 1/4 C or so of the hot EVOO back to the skillet along with the thinly sliced onions, red pepper flakes, and a generous hit of both salt & pepper. Stir and cook the onions for roughly 10 minutes, or until soft. Return the sliced potatoes back to the skillet and season once again generously with both salt & pepper. Stir and continue to cook everything together for 5 minutes. Increase the heat to just above medium once again.

Whisk the eggs together with salt & pepper before pouring them in to the skillet. Make sure to shake the skillet and stir the potatoes / onions around to even everything out as the bottom of the omelet starts to firm up. Use a rubber spatula to go around the sides of the skillet where the egg is setting to ensure it pulls away from the skillet when needed. Reduce the heat once again to medium low and let the omelet cook for roughly 5 minutes. At this point, you'll notice the sides are completely set but the top still has a runny middle. This is what you're looking for. Crumble as much feta as desired on to the wet part of the omelet and let that set for a minute or so.
Time to flip! Find a plate that's larger than the circumference of the skillet and place it over top. Use pot-holders to grab the skillet, holding the plate on top and carefully flip the skillet over on to the plate. Return the skillet to the heat and scrape / slide the omelet back in to the skillet. Let it continue to cook 3 - 5 minutes or until your eggs are set the way you'd like. I prefer a stiffer scramble over a wetter one so monitor and remove the omelet when your eggs are set to your liking.
Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with fresh parsley. Cut in to 4 equal sized pieces, or 8 equal sized pieces. I ate a quarter of the omelet in one go and still wanted more, just for reference lol Serve your omelet with a dollop of sour cream, some spicy green salsa, and more parsley. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG