Blog Archives

Chik'n Caesar Salad for 1

4/29/2025

0 Comments

Chik'n Caesar Salad For 1

Prep Time: 10 Min
Cook Time: 15 Min

Yields: 1 Salad

What You Need

1 Head Romaine Lettuce
Caesar Dressing
1/2 Small Red Onion, thinly sliced
Grana Padano Cheese
1/2 225g bag Gardein Plant-Based Chik'n Strips (not breaded)
1 Piece Sourdough Bread
EVOO
1 clove Garlic, gently smashed
Lemon Wedges
Fresh Parsley, chopped
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes

Directions

First off, chop your romaine and get it washed thoroughly. Leave it to try in a colander and when ready, pat it down with paper towels until dry. If you have one, sue a salad spinner to dry it up faster!
In the meantime, begin heating a couple tablespoons of EVOO in a small, non-stick skillet set to just below medium heat. Add your plant-based strips along with a good pinch of salt, black pepper, and pepper flakes. Cook according to package directions until golden on both sides & cooked through.
I didn't have any bagged croutons available, if you do, you can easily use those in place of my grilled sourdough! Heat a grill pan to just below medium heat and brush both sides of your sourdough until coated. Slap your slice on the grill and grill until golden and crisp on both sides. Once crisp, transfer to your work station, rub the entire slice down with your raw garlic clove, and cut in to squares for garnish.

ASSEMBLY - Add your romaine to a mixing bowl and pour in some dressing. Start tossing and if needed / desired, add more dressing until your lettuce is dressed the way you like. Finely shred in heaps of grana padano and toss that in as well. Transfer to a large serving plate. Arrange sliced onions around the salad followed by your golden chik'n strips & crispy grilled croutons. Shred as much grana padano over the salad as your heart desires, followed by a sprinkle of pepper flakes & fresh parsley. Serve up with a lemon wedge and ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

0 Comments

Egg Salad & Arugula Sammies

4/26/2025

0 Comments

Egg Salad & Arugula Sammies

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 10 + Min
Chill Time: 30 Min +

Yields: 2 Large Sammies / 3 Standard Sized

What You Need

6 Large, Free-Range Eggs
1/2 Small Red Onion, finely diced
1 stalk Celery, finely diced
2 Green Onions, sliced thinly
1 1/2 Tbsp. Fresh Dill, chopped
2 Tbsp. Fresh parsley, chopped
5 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
1 Tsp. Dijon Mustard
Splash White Wine Vinegar
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
Everything Sourdough Bread
Fresh Arugula
Serve With Crispy Chips

Directions

Place your eggs in a pot and fill the pot with cold water to cover the eggs by about an inch. Set the pot on to the burner and bring it to a boil. Once boiled, let the eggs cook for 5 minutes. Remove them from the heat and cover for 5 mins. Prepare an ice bath and after the 5 or so minutes, strain the eggs and place them in to the ice bath while you prep everything else.
In a small mixing bowl, get your mayo, Dijon, and splash of vinegar whisked together.
Crack & peel your eggs. Once peeled, chop the eggs in to large pieces. I cut them in half lengthwise and then half again, and then 2 times approximately the opposite way. Add your eggs to the mixing bowl along with all of the rest of your ingredients, and start folding everything together until creamy and combined. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Cover the egg salad and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes to let the flavours come together and to stiffen up the salad.

When you're ready to serve, give it a taste and determine whether it is seasoned to your liking. For service, I had this beautiful everything sourdough bread that was flavourful, super soft, while also being firm and hearty, and the slices were quite large, about 1 and a half times the size of a standard slice. If you're using standard sized multigrain or white bread, you'll likely get 3 sandwiches, but my slices were large which made it so I only got 2.
I didn't even butter my bread, but you certainly could. I piled egg salad on the bottom slice of sourdough and then topped it off with a couple good handfuls of arugula. Press on your tops, slice, and serve with a side of your fave tater chips.
Leftover egg salad can be refrigerated for 3 - 4 days.

HAPPY VEG

0 Comments

Brothy Tater Soup

4/24/2025

0 Comments

Brothy Tater Soup

Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: Approx. 50 Min

Yields: 4 Bowls

What You Need

1 Tbsp. EVOO
2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
3 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1 Yellow Onion, finely diced
2 stalks Celery, finely diced
1 Bunch Green Onions, sliced & separated light & dark portions
2 Carrots, peeled & sliced
4.5 C Yellow Potatoes, peeled & cut in to large chunks (approx 1")
1 C White Wine ( I used Pinot Grigio)
946ml Ocean's Halo Plant-Based Chik'n Broth (Sub Vegetable Broth)
1 x Hard Cheese Rind (optional)
1 1/2 Tsp. Clubhouse Roasted Garlic & Pepper Seasoning
1 Tsp. Vegeta Seasoning
1/2 C Grana Padano, finely shredded
3 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper

Directions

Begin heating the EVOO, butter, garlic, and pepper flakes, in a deep, non-stick skillet (or a pot), set to just below medium. Once heated, stir and let everything sizzle together for about a minute. Add the onion, light portions of the green onions, carrot, celery, and a generous pinch of both salt & pepper. Let your veggies cook about 10 minutes, stirring as needed.

Add the potatoes and another generous pinch of both salt & pepper. Stir everything together and cover for 6 minutes, stirring at least once. Pour in the wine and let that simmer for another 5 minutes, or until reduced by at least half. Pour in the broth and bring your soup to a boil. Once boiled, add the Clubhouse seasoning, Vegeta, and the cheese rind if you're using it. Reduce your heat to a simmer, cover, and simmer for 25 ish minutes, or until your taters are nice and tender.
Remove your lid and turn off the heat to your soup. Pluck out the cheese rind before stirring in the grana padano, parsley, and most of the reserved dark green portions of the green onions. Taste your soup and adjust your salt / pepper if needed / desired.
Serve your bowls garnished with additional grana padano, parsley, and some of the dark green onions to finish. ENJOY!
Any leftover soup can be packed in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days.

HAPPY VEG

0 Comments

Creamy Sausage & Cherry Tomato Bucatini

4/22/2025

0 Comments

Creamy Sausage & Cherry Tom Bucatini

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

Yields: 4 Servings

What You Need

400g Dry Bucatini Pasta
1/4 C EVOO
1 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
4 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1 Yellow Onion, finely diced
4 x Beyond Meat Hot Italian Sausages
341g Medley Cherry Tomatoes, quartered
1 C White Wine ( I used a local Pinot Grigio)
1 1/2 C Whipping Cream, room temperature
Small handful Fresh Basil, chiffonade / torn
2/3 C Grana Padano, finely shredded
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
GARNISH - Grana Padano, Fresh Basil

Directions

Bring a large pot of cold, generously salted water to a boil. Leave covered.
In the meantime, begin heating the EVOO, garlic, and pepper flakes, in a large skillet set to just below medium. Once heated, stir often for about a minute before adding the onion and a good pinch of both salt & pepper. Cook about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Watch for browning and reduce your temp if needed.
Crumble in your sausages, breaking them down in to smaller crumbles as they brown in the skillet. Season once again with salt & pepper as the sausage cooks up. You're going to cook the onion / sausage mixture for about another 8 - 10 minutes. Add your cherry tomatoes and another good pinch of salt. Stir them in and let the skillet continue to cook 3 minutes. Pour in the wine and once it starts bubbling away, cook until it is reduced by at least half, about 6 minutes.

Pour in the whipping cream. At this time, add your pasta to the boiling water and cook to JUST about al dente. Taste your noods often to ensure they do not overcook. You want them just about al dente to finish in the cream sauce. Once the cream starts to bubble away, sprinkle in the basil and another good pinch of salt, reduce to a simmer, and simmer until the pasta is just right.
Transfer the noodles directly to the skillet. Toss until the noodles are nice and combined and let the skillet continue to simmer another 4 - 5 minutes, OR until sauce has thickened a bit and noodles are perfectly al dente.
Turn off the heat and add in your grana padano along with a small ladle of your pasta water. Toss until glossy and combined. Set the skillet aside to set for a few minutes while you gather your plates and table settings. Taste the pasta and season to taste with salt / pepper if needed / desired.
Serve your pasta up with good dusting of finely shredded grana padano and some fresh basil and / or parsley. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

0 Comments

Hearty Breakfast Burritos

4/19/2025

0 Comments

Hearty Breakfast Burritos

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

Yields: 2 Burritos

What You Need

2 x 10" Spinach Tortillas
4 Small Yellow Potatoes (Approx 2ish Cups Chopped in to 3/4" cubes)
FOR POTATOES - EVOO, 1 Tsp. Italian Seasoning, 1 Tsp. Dried Parsley, 1 Tsp. Clubhouse Garlic Plus, Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes
6 Large, Free-Range Eggs
Full Fat Cottage Cheese
1/4 Red Onion, finely diced
Nando's Perinaise (Sub any Spicy Mayo)
Salsa Verde
Pickled Hot Peppers
Hot Sauce ( I love my Valentina Super Hot)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 425 F
Add your potatoes to a mixing bowl and give them a good drizzle of EVOO. Add your Italian Seasoning, Garlic Plus, Parsley, a few cracks of pepper, and as much pepper flakes as your heart desires. Toss everything together until nice and coated. Transfer the taters to a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer. Season the tray liberally with salt.
Bake the taters 25ish minutes, flipping a couple times for even browning. Taters should be golden outside, and fluffy inside.

With about 10 minutes remaining, add your eggs to the same mixing bowl you dressed the taters in. Season with salt, pepper, dried parsley, and more pepper flakes. Whisk to combine.
Preheat a non-stick skillet to just below medium heat and pour in your eggs. Using a rubber spatula, scrape and stir as the eggs start to set, working from the outside of the skillet towards the inside., Once they're nice and fluffy (or, cooked how you like them), quickly remove them from the heat but keep the burner on and get a grill pan set on to it to start heating.
Set your tortillas on to your work station and give a few dollops of cottage cheese. Spread it around the middle followed by splitting the roasted potatoes, giving a good drizzle of spicy mayo, a sprinkle of the red onions, your eggs, a spoonful or two of salsa, and your pickled peppers. Roll the burrito over the fillings, tucking in the sides and using a fork to press the filling back in to the folded part of the burrito before rolling it up. Do your best to tuck in those sides! Spray your burritos with cooking spray and slap them on the preheated grill.
Grill each side until gloriously golden and remove once completed. Slice them in half and serve. I literally douse each bite in spicy hot sauce, but you do you lol ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

0 Comments

Creamy WB Skillet with Pesto Cheesy Chik'n

4/18/2025

0 Comments

Creamy WB Skillet With Cheesy Pesto Chik'n

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

Yields: 2 Servings

What You Need

My Fave Pesto Recipe

https://www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/my-perfect-pesto-recipe

2 x NotCo Canada Crispy Chik'n Patties (sub your fave plant-based brand)
4 Slices Pizza Mozzarella from the Ball
2 Tbsp. EVOO
1/2 Tbsp. Pepperoncini In Oil
1 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
4 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1 Yellow Onion, diced
540ml Salt-Free White Beans, drained & lightly rinsed
1 C Pres. Choice Plant-Based Chik'n Broth (more if needed)
Small Handful Fresh Basil, torn
1/2 C Whipping Cream, room temperature
1/2 C Grana Padano, finely shredded
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
GARNISH - Parsley, Basil, Grana Padano, Pepper Flakes, EVOO

Directions

Preheat the pesto according to the recipe provided. As always, you can sub in your fave store-bought brand, but the fresh stuff always looks so gorgeous <3
Begin heating the EVOO, pepperoncini, butter, and garlic, in a 10" skillet set to just below medium. Once heated, stir everything together and let things sizzle for about a minute, stirring fairly often. Add the onion along with a good pinch of both salt & pepper, stir, and let those onions cook for 7 - 8 minutes, stirring as needed.
Add your drained beans to the skillet along with another good pinch of both salt & pepper. Stir and let the beans come to temperature, a few minutes. Pour in the broth and wait for the skillet to start bubbling away. Season again with a pinch of salt and fold in your basil. Reduce the heat a touch and cover with a tilted lid for about 15 minutes. Check every so often and stir / add more broth if needed.

Preheat your oven according to package directions for your crispy chik'n patties. Get your patties on a parchment lined baking sheet and season them with a pinch of salt & pepper flakes. Bake according to package directions, flipping as needed until patties are crispy and delish. Once ready, slap your mozz on top and finish in the oven until melty.
Back to the skillet! Pour in your room temperature cream & stir to combine. Allow the creamy beans to simmer on a lower temperature until your patties are finished. Once your skillet beans are thick and creamy, turn off the heat and fold in the grana padano. Taste your skillet and adjust your salt / pepper if needed / desired.
Give your skillet beans a drizzle of good EVOO before topping them off with your cheesy patties. Spoon that gorgeous pesto on top of your chik'n patties. Garnish the skillet with fresh parsley, pepper flakes, grana padano, and basil. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

0 Comments

Halloumi Wraps with Pepper Jelly

4/17/2025

0 Comments

Halloumi Wraps
With Pepper Jelly

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: > 10 Min

Yields: 2 Wraps

What You Need

2 x Greek Style Wraps
1/2 Heaping C Full Fat Cottage Cheese
EVOO
200g Halloumi Cheese
Red Chili Jelly
Bib Lettuce
1/4 English Cucumber, sliced thin
Thinly sliced Red Onion
1 Roma Tomato, sliced
Pickled Hot Peppers
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes

Directions

Add the cottage cheese along with a drizzle of EVOO to your food processor, and run on high until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl for service.
Begin heating a couple Tbsp.'s of EVOO in a small, non-stick skillet set to just below medium heat. Cut the halloumi in to 4 equal sized squares and get them in to the skillet. Season your halloumi with a pinch of salt & pepper, and a sprinkle of pepper flakes. Cook until golden brown, a couple of minutes, flip, and continue on the opposite side until equally golden.

In the meantime, get your wraps started. Divide the cottage cheese between both wraps, spreading it around the middle of the wrap. Leave yourself a good perimeter free of toppings. Lay some gorgeous bib lettuce followed by a couple slices of tomato, cucumber, and red onion. Top your wraps with two pieces of fried halloumi each. Spoon your jelly over top of the halloumi followed by some zippy pickled peppers.
ENJOY!
These wraps are quick, easy to transport for a picnic or get together, and so quick & delicious.

HAPPY VEG

0 Comments

Sheet Pan Potato Nachos

4/15/2025

0 Comments

Sheet Pan Potato Nachos

Prep Time: 25 Min
Cook Time: 25 - 30 Min

Yields: 4

What You Need

5 C Yellow Potatoes, peeled & chopped in to large chunks
1/4 C EVOO
2 Tsp. Tex-Mex Seasoning
1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Tsp. Onion Powder
1 Tsp. Kashmiri Mirch (Sub Mexican Chili Powder if needed)
Red Pepper Flakes
528ml Mexican Seasoned Pinto Beans
1 C Aged Marble Cheddar, shredded
1 Roma Tomato, seeded and diced
1 Jalapeno, sliced in to rings
3 Green Onions, sliced
1/2 Small Red Onion, finely diced
Nando's Perinaise (Sub Chipotle Mayo)
Salsa Verde
Himalayan Salt
OPTIONAL - Cilantro, Pickled Onions, Hot Sauce

Directions

Preheat your oven to 425 F
Add your taters to a mixing bowl along with the EVOO, Tex-Mex, garlic & onion powders, kashmiri, and as much pepper flakes as you can handle. Toss everything together until coated & transfer your taters to a parchment lined baking sheet. Season the tray generously with salt. Bake your taters about 25 - 30 minutes, flipping a couple of times until they're nice and crisp outside, and tender inside. Taste for salt and season again if needed.

In the meantime, add your beans to a small, covered pot set to medium low. Once heated thoroughly, reduce the temp to low and leave covered.
Once your taters are ready, transfer the tray carefully to a wire cooling rack. Using a slotted spoon, spoon your hot beans around the tray followed by sprinkling your aged marble all over. Return the tray to the oven for a couple of minutes until the cheese is melty. Transfer the tray back to your wire rack.
Now, it's time to garnish. Start by drizzling the tray with spicy mayo and green salsa. Sprinkle your red & green onions around the tray followed by your diced tomatoes and sliced jalapenos. Finish with a few dashes of your favourite hot sauce (I love my Valentina Super Hot) and that's it. Everyone can tuck right in to the tray! ENJOY!
Pack any remaining toppings / beans in airtight containers in the fridge.

HAPPY VEG

0 Comments

Whipped Cottage Cheese Brekkie Toasties

4/13/2025

0 Comments

Whipped Cottage Cheese Brekkie Toasts

Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 10 Min

Yields: 2 Toasties

What You Need

My Fave Pesto Recipe

https://www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/my-perfect-pesto-recipe

Heaping 1 C Full-Fat Cottage Cheese
2 pieces Sourdough Bread
2 Large, Free-Range Eggs
EVOO
Pepperoncini In Oil
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes
Grana Padano
Fresh Parsley, chopped for Garnish

Notes

The recipe could easily accommodate 4 toasties if needed. Simply increase your bread / eggs as you'll have enough cottage cheese & pesto to do so

Directions

Prepare the pesto according to the recipe provided. Alternately, you could use your favourite store-bought brand, but y'all know I love my fresh pesto recipe.
Add the cottage cheese to your food processor along with a drizzle of EVOO. Run the food processor until the cottage cheese is creamy. You may notice it isn't completely smooth. You could add more EVOO and whip again, but I didn't because despite not looking smooth, it was smooth on the tongue.

Preheat a grill pan to just about medium. Brush both sides of your sourdough slices with EVOO and get them on the grill. Grill both sides until golden with gorgeous grill marks. Transfer your slices to the plates you're serving them on.
In the meantime, heat some EVOO in a small, non-stick skillet set to just below medium. Once the skillet is ALMOST preheated perfectly, carefully crack in your eggs and season them with salt, pepper, and pepper flakes. Let the eggs cook until the whites are set. Make sure to spoon the hot oil on to the whites as they cook. This "basting" accelerates the white cook time while keeping the yolk golden and ready to burst.
Assemble. Spoon whipped cottage cheese on each toast as generously as you'd like. Next, top your toasts with the fried eggs. Dollop your gorgeous, fresh pesto around the toast / egg followed by a spoonful of the spicy pepperoncini in oil. Finely shred as much grana padano for garnish as your heart desires & finish with a sprinkle of parsley. ENJOY!
Pack up any remaining cottage cheese / pesto in airtight containers in the fridge for 4 - 5 days.

HAPPY VEG

0 Comments

Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese

4/10/2025

0 Comments

Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese

Prep Time: 10 Min
Cook Time: 10 Min

Yields: 1 +

What You Need
Per Sandwich

Leftover Jal Poppers ( 3 per sandwich)

www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/baked-jalapeno-poppers

Sourdough Bread
Margarine
Shredded Marble Cheddar
Sliced Red Onion
1 Jalapeno, sliced in to rings

Notes

I didn't really measure how much shredded marble I used. I estimated 1/2 C, but use your own judgement. You can't go wrong with more cheese lol
You could use a grill pan for the sandwich but make sure to start it while preheating, otherwise the outside will finish long before the inside warms up.
This recipe is per sandwich. Easy to make more depending on how many poppers you have left from the recipe.

Directions

Start to preheat a skillet set to just below medium. In the meantime, slather both pieces of sourdough with margarine on one side. On the bottom slice, sprinkle about 1/4 C shredded marble followed by 3 of the leftover, cold jalapeno poppers. Sprinkle approximately another 1/4 C marble on top of the poppers followed by some sliced red onion. Close the sammie up with the margarine side up and lay some jalapeno rings on the slice, gently pressing them in.
Flip your sandwich so that the side with the jalapenos is face down in the skillet. While that starts to sizzle, press some jalapeno slices in to the other side. The skillet should be hot, but not entirely preheated. This will allow the insides to come to temp before the outside of the sammie gets too dark.
Fry up the sandwich for about 5 minutes. Check the sandwich often to ensure it is getting gorgeously golden without blackening. Once it's nice and golden, carefully flip it and continue to cook on the opposite side until cheese is melty and the second side is golden perfection. Remove it from the skillet carefully and get in on you cutting board. Slice it in half and serve.
ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

0 Comments

<<Previous

R E C I P E S

Chik'n Caesar Salad For 1

What You Need

Directions

HAPPY VEG

Egg Salad & Arugula Sammies

What You Need

Directions

HAPPY VEG

Brothy Tater Soup

What You Need

Directions

HAPPY VEG

Creamy Sausage & Cherry Tom Bucatini

What You Need

Directions

HAPPY VEG

Hearty Breakfast Burritos

What You Need

Directions

HAPPY VEG

Creamy WB Skillet With Cheesy Pesto Chik'n

What You Need

Directions

HAPPY VEG

Halloumi WrapsWith Pepper Jelly

What You Need

Directions

HAPPY VEG

Sheet Pan Potato Nachos

What You Need

Directions

HAPPY VEG

Whipped Cottage Cheese Brekkie Toasts

What You Need

Notes

Directions

HAPPY VEG

Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese

What You NeedPer Sandwich

Notes

Directions

HAPPY VEG

Archives

Jonathan - Happy Veg

Categories

Halloumi Wraps
With Pepper Jelly

What You Need
Per Sandwich