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Sausage & Tomato Soup

3/29/2023

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Sausage & Tomato Soup

Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 1 Hr 20 Min

Yields: 4 + Servings

WHAT YOU NEED

3 Tbsp. EVOO
1/2 Tbsp. Pepperoncini In Oil
4 x Beyond Meat Hot Italian Sausages
4 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1 Large Yellow Onion, diced
2 stalks Celery, diced
1 Carrot, peeled & sliced in to rounds
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
540ml Navy Beans, drained & lightly rinsed
1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
1 C Dry White Wine
796 Salt Free Crushed Tomatoes
4 C PC Brand Plant-Based Chikn Broth
2 C Baby Spinach, roughly chopped
Handful Fresh Basil, torn
6 - 7 sprigs Fresh Thyme, leaves removed
1 Tsp. Dried Oregano
1/2 Tsp. Sweet Paprika
1 Tsp, Garlic Powder
1 Tsp. Onion Powder
1 Tsp. Clubhouse Roasted Garlic & Peppers Seasoning
1 Tsp. Sea Salt
Cracked Pepper
GARNISH - Basil / Parsley, Grana Padano, Grilled Bread

DIRECTIONS

Begin heating a large, deep skillet / soup pot on just about medium heat with 1 Tbsp. EVOO and the pepperoncini. Once heated, crumble in the sausages, breaking them up as they brown in the skillet. Stir and cook until lightly browned. Remove the sausage from the skillet and add the remaining EVOO to what's left in the pot along with the thyme, oregano, and minced garlic. Stir and cook 30 + seconds before stirring in the torn basil and continuing to sizzle for about another 30 seconds. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and carrot. Season with salt & cracked pepper, stir, and cook 6 - 8 minutes until veggies are starting to go tender.

Stir in the tomato paste and continue to cook another minute, stirring to incorporate the paste. Add the wine and let that simmer until reduced by at least half. Now, add the crushed tomatoes & broth. and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiled, return the sausage to the pot along with the pepper & garlic seasoning, garlic & onion powders, paprika, salt, and navy beans.
Reduce the heat to medium low, cover with a tilted lid, and simmer for at least an hour. Make sure to stir every 10 minutes or so and if the soup is getting too thick, thin it out with some additional broth.
Once the soup is finished cooking, taste and adjust your salt if desired. Stir in the chopped spinahc and wait for it to wilt.
For service, garnish with freshly grated grana padano & fresh herbs. Serve with grilled bread & ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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SPicy Egg Toasts with Feta & Dill

3/26/2023

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Spicy Egg Toasts with Feta & Dill

Prep Time: 5 Min
Cook Time: 7 - 10 Min

Yields: 4 Toasts

WHAT YOU NEED

4 Pieces Sourdough Bread
4 Large, Free-Range Eggs
EVOO for Frying
Pepperoncini in Oil / Chili Oil
Fresh Dill
Feta Cheese
Grana Padano
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
Pepper Flakes

DIRECTIONS

Heat EVOO in a large non-stick set to about medium heat. Once heated, carefully crack in the eggs. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of pepper flakes. Cook until whites are set. Baste the whites with the hot oil as the eggs cook to speed up the process without overcooking the yolks.
While the eggs cook, preheat a grill pan and brush the bread slices with EVOO on both sides. Grill until crispy on both sides.
To serve, place your crispy bread on to a plate and top it with the fried egg. Drizzle with chili oil and top with crumbled feta, fresh dill fronds, and some grated grana padano.
ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Jalapeno Cheddar Cheetos Mac & Cheese

3/24/2023

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Jalapeno Cheddar Cheetos Mac & Cheese

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 40 - 45 Min

Yields: 6 - 8 Pieces

WHAT YOU NEED

2 C Dry Macaroni Noodles
1 C + Crunchy Jalapeno Cheddar Cheetos
3 Jalapenos, 2 x seeded & diced, 1 sliced
125g Cream Cheese, room temp
1 1/2 C Extra Old White Cheddar, shredded
1 C Extra Old Marble Cheddar, shredded
1/3 C Grana Padano, shredded
1 1/4 C Whipping Cream, room temp
2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, melted & cooled
2 Large, Free-Range Eggs
1 Tsp. Mustard Powder
1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
1/4 Tsp. Cayenne
3/4 Tsp. + Sea Salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 F
Whisk together the cream, butter, eggs, mustard, cayenne, diced jals, garlic powder, and salt. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of cold, generously salted water to a boil. Once boiled, add your noodles and cook about a minute less than what's recommended for al dente. Turn off the heat and strain the noodles. Return the noodles to the pot and put the pot back on the burner that is now off. Pour in your cream mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the cream cheese, grana, cheddar, and marble until combined and mostly melted. Some blobs of cream cheese are fine because they're delicious once baked.
Spray the inside of a 7" x 11" baking dish with cooking spray. Pour the mac mixture in to the greased dish and tap it off the counter a few times to settle everything.
Add your cheetos to a ziplock and smash them up in to smaller pieces / crumbs using a rolling pin or another heavy duty item from your drawers. Sprinkle them over the mac to coat the top followed by your sliced jalapenos. Sprinkle salt over the top of the mac.

Bake for 30 + minutes until bubbly and golden brown on top and firm otherwise. Remove and let cool for 5 - 10 minutes before slicing.
Slice in to 6 or 8 equal sized pieces. For service, crumble up some more of those cheetos and sprinkle them over each serving for some crunch and additional flavour. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Crispy Potato Tacos with Pickled Onions

3/21/2023

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Crispy Potato Tacos with Pickled Onions

Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 30 - 35 Min

Yields: 15 + Street Tacos

WHAT YOU NEED

20 Corn Street Taco Tortillas
389ml Refried Beans with Chilis
4 C Russet Potatoes, peeled & cut in to cubes
POTATO SPICES - 1 1/2 Tsp. Garlic Powder, 1 1/2 Tsp. Onion Powder, 1 1/2 Tsp. Mexican Chili Powder, 1 1/2 Tsp. Cumin, 1 Tsp. Tajin, 1 Tsp. Oregano, Himalayan Salt
PICKLED ONIONS - 1 Large Red Onion, 1/4 C Red Wine Vinegar, 1/4 C Apple Cider Vinegar, 1/2 C Water, 1/2 Tsp. Sea Salt, 1/2 Tbsp. Manuka Honey, 1/4 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes, Peppercorns
Garnishes - Red Cabbage, shredded, Feta Cheese, Salsa Verde, Fresh Cilantro

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 425 F
Empty the refried beans in to a small pot. Cover and cook on low until service, stirring occasionally.
Whisk together all of the ingredients for the pickled onions in a small pot set to about medium heat. Slice your onions in to rounds and stuff them inside a mason jar. Once the vinegar mix bubbles, pour it over the onions in the jar and press them down to submerge them in the hot liquid. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes. Make sure to periodically open the jar and smash the onions down to ensure they're all submerged and pickling. Refrigerate until service.

Add the cubed potatoes to a mixing bowl and dress them with 2 - 3 Tbsp. oil and all of the POTATO SPICES. Toss until potatoes are nice and coated before transferring them to a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 25 - 30 minutes until crispy and fully cooked.
Heat a grill pan on medium. Once heated, spray with cooking spray and warm up your tortillas until malleable. Transfer warmed tortillas to paper towels and wrap them up to keep them warm. Continue until all tortillas are warmed up.
For service, spread a little of the refried beans on your tacos before sprinkling on some shredded cabbage, some of the roasted potatoes, crumbled feta, salsa verde, cilantro, and those gorgeous pickled onions. Finish with your fave hot sauce & ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Buffalo Brussel Sprouts

3/19/2023

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Buffalo Brussel Sprouts

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 20 Min

WHAT YOU NEED

1 Lb. Brussel Sprouts
Olive Oil Spray
1/2 C + Valentina Extra Hot Sauce
2 Tbsp. + Unsalted Butter
1 Lemon
Crumbled Feta
Fresh Parsley, chopped
Pepper Flakes
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pep

NOTES:

1. When shopping for brussel sprouts, you want to shop for similarly sized sprouts so that they cook at roughly the same time / temp. If you've got huge variations in size, they'll cook unevenly.

2. Valentina is probably my favourite hot sauce on the market. Mexican sauces always seem to blend the heat and flavour aspects of the sauce perfectly. You can honestly use whatever your fave hot sauce is in place of the Valentina if you'd like, or even buy a premade Buffalo sauce. Watch for ingredients though, those premade sauces can hide dozens of creepy ingredients.

3. I put (+) after the sauce / butter in the ingredients because I want you to try the sauce and manipulate it to your liking. My sauce is pretty effing spicy, so if that's not your thing, reduce the hot sauce a little and add a little more butter. Just taste it when it's done, you'll know if you want it less hot or not.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 425 F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray.
Trim the ends off the brussel sprouts, halve them, and remove excess outer leaves. Place the sprouts flat side down on the baking sheet. Spray the sprouts with cooking spray and season them with salt, pepper, and a little pepper flakes.
Bake for 12 - 15 minutes depending on size.
In the meantime, heat the hot sauce and butter together in a small pot set to just about medium. Once heated, let the sauce start to bubble, stir, and reduce to medium low. Simmer for a couple of minutes and remove from heat.

Remove the sprouts from the oven and toss them in to the pot with the sauce. Stir and toss until sprouts are dredged in the spicy sauce. Return them to the tray in a single layer and bake them for another 5 minutes until the sauce has cooked in to them. Remove from oven and squeeze half a lemon over the tray. Taste and adjust salt / add additional lemon if desired.
Transfer the cooked sprouts to a serving dish. Sprinkle them with freshly chopped parsley and some crumbled feta cheese. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Patty Melt Sliders

3/15/2023

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Patty Melt Sliders

Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 40 - 45 Min

Yields: 12 Sliders

WHAT YOU NEED

12 x Small Dinner Rolls
6 Slices Swiss Cheese
6 Slices Havarti Cheese
2 x 340g Beyond Meat Beef
2 Tbsp. Garlic & Herb Butter
1 + Tbsp. EVOO
4 Yellow Onions, halved & sliced
227g Cremini Mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter + 1 Smashed Clove Garlic
Fresh Thyme
Sugar
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
OPTIONAL DIPS - Sandwich Sauce, Chipotle Mayo, Savoury Au Jus / Gravy

DIRECTIONS

Heat the garlic butter & EVOO in a medium sized skillet set to just below medium heat. Add the sliced onions & creminis along with a good pinch of salt & pepper. Stir and cook until golden brown and caramelized, about 25 minutes, adding a little sugar near the end of the cook time to really caramelize them. Reduce the heat if needed to let the onions & mushrooms brown without overcooking / burning.
In the meantime, add the beyond beef to a mixing bowl and season with salt & cracked pepper. Form 12, equal sized slider patties and set them on to a parchment lined baking sheet.
Heat a flat top / skillet to about medium and once heated, add the patties and cook until seared on both sides. Smash the patties down as they cook to flatten them out a bit for more browning surface.

Preheat oven to 350 F
To assemble, slice the rolls in half and place the bottom halves of the buns in to a baking dish large enough to accommodate them. Next, place your patties on to the bottom buns followed by the swiss cheese. Spread the caramelized onions over the sliders and top with the slices of havarti. Now, slice the tops off of your buns to create a flat surface.
Melt the butter along with the smashed clove in the microwave until melted. Brush the tops of the buns with the melted butter and sprinkle fresh thyme on each one.
Bake 12 - 15 minutes until cheese is melted and buns are nice and toasty.
Serve with one of the optional dips & ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Cheesy One Pot Rigatoni Skillet

3/10/2023

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Cheesy One Pot Rigatoni Skillet

Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 45 - 50 Min

Yields: 4+ Servings

WHAT YOU NEED

2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
2 Tbsp. EVOO
1/2 Tbsp. Pepperoncini In Oil
2 Tbsp. Sundried Tomatoes, chopped
1 Yellow Onion, diced
2 stalks Celery, diced
1 Carrot, peeled & diced
4 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
Handful Fresh Basil, torn
1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
1/2 C White Wine
796ml Whole San Marzano Tomatoes
1/2 C Passata
1 1/2 C Water / Pc Plant-Based Chikn broth
540ml White Beans, drained & rinsed
3 C Dry Rigatoni Pasta
2 C Baby Spinach, chopped
2 C Pizza Mozzarella, shredded
2/3 C Grana Padano, shredded
6 Sprigs Thyme, leaves removed
2 Tsp. Dried Oregano
1 Tsp. Italian Seasoning
1 Tsp. Clubhouse Garlic & Red Pepper Seasoning
3/4 Tsp. + Himalayan Salt
GARNISH - Fresh Basil, Parsley, Grana Padano

DIRECTIONS

In a large, deep skillet, begin heating the butter, pepperoncini, EVOO, sundried tomatoes, 1 tsp. dried oregano, thyme, garlic, and Italian seasoning on about medium heat. Once heated, stir and let everything sizzle for 30 seconds - 1 minutes before sprinkling in the basil and continuing to cook another 30 seconds. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and a good pinch of salt. Continue to stir and cook 6 - 7 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and continue to cook another 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and simmer until mostly reduced. Add the passata, water / broth, and tomatoes, smashing them up in the skillet. Bring this to a boil and once boiled, add the white beans, dry pasta, chopped spinach, red pepper seasoning, 3/4 tsp. salt, and remaining dried oregano. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer 25 -35 minutes until pasta is tender and liquid is reduced significantly.
Turn off the heat and stir in the mozzarella & grana padano until combined. Taste and adjust your salt if desired.

For service, serve up some of the cheesy skillet and garnish with some fresh basil parsley, and grana padano. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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So You've Got Some Tomato Sauce . . .

3/8/2023

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I find myself with extra tomato sauce quite often because I usually make a full batch and I'm only feeding myself. Yes, you could easily freeze the sauce until you're craving pasta once again, and yes, you could have pasta the following night as well, because we love carbs and we love pasta. There are however, some other ways to use up that banging tomato sauce and I've got a couple ideas for you guys to make use of that tomato sauce without always boiling up some noods.

The Happy Veg Tomato Sauce

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 35 - 40 Min

WHAT YOU NEED

1/4 C EVOO
3 Cloves Garlic, crushed
1 Large Yellow Onion, diced
2 stalks Celery, diced
1 Large Carrot, peeled & diced
Handful Fresh Basil
1/2 C White Wine
1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
796ml Whole San Marzano Tomatoes
1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tsp. Dried Oregano
1/2 Tsp. + Sea Salt

DIRECIONS

Begin heating a medium sized pot on just about medium heat with the EVOO, pepper flakes, oregano, and garlic, Once heated, let everything sizzle together for about 30 seconds before adding the onion, celery, carrot, and a good pinch of salt. Stir and cook 6 - 7 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste and continue to cook another 2 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until mostly reduced, scraping the bottom of the pan for any flavour bits. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up a bit in the pot, as well as about 1/2 c or so of water after rinsing out the can. Bring your sauce to a boil. Once boiled, add the salt & fresh basil, reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer 25 minutes.
Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Taste and adjust salt if desired.

RECIPE 1 - Italian Poutines

You'll need a bag of frozen potato wedges, cheese curds, fresh parsley & basil, grana padano, pepper flakes, dried oregano, and leftover tomato sauce.
Prepare the wedges as per package directions until golden brown and crispy.
In a large mixing bowl, add about 1/2 C of shredded grana padano, a couple tablespoons fresh parsley, a tablespoon or so of fresh basil, 1/2 tsp. of dried oregano, and as much pepper flakes as you like. Once the wedges are cooked, add them to the bowl and drizzle with a little EVOO. Toss the wedges in the cheesy mix until nice and coated.
For service, add your wedges to bowls and top with some curds. Smother in hot tomato sauce followed by a generous amount of shredded grana. Finish with some fresh herbs and ENJOY!

RECIPE 2 - Cheesy Grilled Chik'n Parm
Burgs

You'll need 4 x plant-based chikn patties, 4 large pieces of sourdough bread, a clove of garlic, sliced pizza mozzarella, grana padano, fresh basil, and leftover tomato sauce.
Fry up your chikn patties according to package directions. Warm up your tomato sauce as well.
In the meantime, heat up a grill pan and drizzle your sourdough slices with EVOO on both sides. Grill until golden brown and crispy. Gently smash a garlic clove and rub the clove on both sides of the toasted bread.

To serve, cut the bread in half so you've got 4 sandwiches. Smear a little tomato sauce on the bottom of the bread and place your chikn burgers on next. Place a couple slices of pizza mozz on top of the burger and smother in more tomato sauce. Top with a couple fresh basil leaves & grated grana padano, and place your top pieces of bread on.
Serve & enjoy!

HAPPY VEG

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Mexi Casserole

3/6/2023

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Mexi Casserole

Prep Time: 10 Min
Cook Time: 40 - 45 Min

Yields: 6 Pieces

WHAT YOU NEED

18 x Corn Street Taco Tortillas
528ml Seasoned Mexican Pinto Beans
215g Microwavable Mexican Rice
1 Jar Salsa Verde
1 C Extra Old Cheddar, shredded
2/3 C Monterey Jack with jalapenos, shredded
1 Red Onion, diced
1 Jalapeno, sliced
Tajin
GARNISH - Sour Cream, Fresh Cilantro, Green Onions, Avo Verde Salsa. Diced Red Onions, Tajin

DIRECTIONS

Empty the Mexican beans in to a small pot. Cover and heat to temperature on medium low.
Prepare the packaged rice according to directions. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 F
Spray the inside of a 2 qt, 7" x 11" baking dish with cooking spray and lay out 6 tortillas to coat the bottom of the dish. Spread half the beans over the tortillas followed by half the rice, 1/3 of the mixed cheeses, and some sprinkled red onions and sliced jals.

Top with 6 more tortillas and gently press them down into the layer beneath. Continue with the remaining beans & rice, spreading to make another layer. Top with another 1/3 of the cheeses, diced onions, and sliced jals.
Finish with 6 tortillas, gently pressing them down once again. Drizzle salsa verde over the entire top layer, making sure the tortillas are all coated in the salsa. Finish with the remaining cheeses, more diced onions, and the remaining sliced jals. Sprinkle the entire top layer with Tajin.

Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake another 15 or so minutes until the cheese is bubbly, melted, and browned in some spots.
Remove and set on to a wire cooling rack for 5 - 10 before slicing.
Slice in to 6 pieces using the location of the tortillas as your guide for cutting.
Garnish your casserole with some or all of the recommended garnishes. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Chili Eggs

3/4/2023

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Chili Eggs

Prep Time: 10 Min
Cook Time: 10 Min

Yields: 2 Servings

WHAT YOU NEED

Approx. 2 C Leftover Chili (Alternately, you could use a 425g can of veggie chili as well)
2 Pieces Sourdough Bread
2 Large, Free-Range Eggs
Fresh Cilantro
Sliced Avocado
Sliced Green Onions

NOTES:

1. You could easily make this a recipe for 4 people if you have enough chili. Crack four eggs in to the skillet and grill a couple extra pieces of bread.

2. The chili recipe I used was my Impossible Chili -- https://www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/impossible-chili-chili-cheese-burritos , however, don't be shy to use your own recipe or even open a can for a convenient option.

3. I recommend sourdough because it holds up well to heavy toppings. You could also try it with Texas toast style bread or any hearty, thick piece of bread.

DIRECTIONS

Add about 1 1/2 - 2 C of cold, leftover chili to a 10" skillet. Set the heat to about medium and let the chili come to temperature.
Once heated, make 2 small wells in the skillet and carefully crack in your eggs. Season the eggs with salt & pep and let them simmer in the chili until the whites are set and yolks are golden and runny. Spoon hot chili on to the whites of the eggs as they cook to speed up the process without overcooking the yolks. Keep your eyes on those eggs, you don't want them hardboiled.

While the eggs are cooking, heat up a grill pan and drizzle it with EVOO. Grill your bread slices on both sides until nice and crispy.
For service, place your grilled bread on to your plate and scoop out an egg along with a generous serving of the chili. Serve it over the bread followed by a garnish of fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, and some sliced avocado.
Optionally, you could include some shredded cheese if desired. I opted out of it this time.
ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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WHAT YOU NEED

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WHAT YOU NEED

DIRECTIONS

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WHAT YOU NEED

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DIRECTIONS

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WHAT YOU NEED

DIRECTIONS

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WHAT YOU NEED

DIRECTIONS

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WHAT YOU NEED

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WHAT YOU NEED

DIRECIONS

RECIPE 1 - Italian Poutines

RECIPE 2 - Cheesy Grilled Chik'n ParmBurgs

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RECIPE 2 - Cheesy Grilled Chik'n Parm
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