Blog Archives - HAPPY VEG

Orzo Salad

5/29/2020

Orzo Salad

Prep Time: 15 Min

Cook Time: 5 - 7 Min

Begin heating a large pot of cold, heavily salted water on medium high heat. Once boiled, add the orzo and cook to al dente. Strain, rinse under cold water for a minute or so and set aside to finish cooling.

Add the green onions, celery, cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, and parsley to a large mixing bowl. Add in the cooled pasta and stir.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, honey, pepper flakes, garlic, salt, and desired amount of cracked pepper. Pour this vinaigrette over the orzo salad and toss until everything is combined. Crumble in the feta cheese and gently stir one last time.

Taste and adjust salt if desired. Eat right away or refrigerate until needed. ENJOY!

Grocery List

450g Dry Orzo
125g Tomberry Tomatoes

(OR 1/2 C Grape Tomatoes, chopped)

2 stalks Celery, diced
½ English Cucumber, seeded & diced
1 Bell Pepper, diced
½ Bunch Green Onions, sliced
½ C Fresh Parsley, chopped
½ C Feta Cheese, crumbled
1 Lemon, juiced
¼ C EVOO
1 Tbsp. + White Wine Vinegar
1 Tsp. Honey
¼ Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
2 cloves Garlic, pressed / minced
½ Tsp. + Sea Salt
Cracked Pepper

Cheddar & Chive Twice Baked Potatoes

5/25/2020

Cheddar & Chive Twice Baked Potatoes

Prep Time: 15 Min

Cook Time: 45 - 50 Min

Place the potatoes in a pot filled with enough cold water to cover them. Set to medium high and bring to a boil. Once boiled, reduce heat slightly, cover with the lid tilted, and boil for 15 minutes. Strain the potatoes.

Preheat oven to 400 F

Slice the potatoes in half and place them flesh side down on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Spray the tops of the potatoes and season each with sea salt and cracked pepper.

Grocery List

4 Large Yellow Potatoes
2 Tbsp. cold Unsalted Butter
¼ + C 2% Milk
1 C Extra Old Cheddar, shredded
½ Bunch Chives, sliced (1/4 C)
2 cloves Garlic, crushed & pressed
½ Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tsp. Sea Salt
½ Tsp. Cracked Pepper
Sour Cream for Garnish

Bake for 15 minutes, flip, and continue to bake for 5 – 7 minutes until tender. Remove from the oven and set out to cool until you can safely handle them.

Increase the oven temperature to 425 F

Scoop the insides of the potatoes out carefully to keep the outside skin intact. Return the skins to the baking sheet hollow side up. Spray them again with cooking spray and season them again with sea salt & cracked pepper. Bake them for 10 or so minutes until nice and crispy.

In the meantime, place the cooked potatoes in a potato ricer and press them through into a large mixing bowl. With every batch, add in some of the cold butter to rice along with the potatoes until they are all riced. Add in the cheese, garlic, ¾ of the chives, red pepper flakes, tsp. sea salt and ½ tsp. cracked pepper. Start to whisk the potatoes with a fork and slowly pour in milk until nice and creamy, using up to ¼ C or more until desired consistency is reached.

Remove the skins from the oven and set the oven to BROIL at 500F. Scoop the mashed potatoes back into the skins pressing it down to fully fill the skin. Continue until all of the mashed potatoes are back inside the skins.

Place them back into the oven for a few minutes until they have browned nicely. Remove them from the oven and serve them with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of the remaining chives.

"Beef" & Bean Tacos

5/19/2020

"Beef" & Bean Tacos

Prep Time: 20 Min

Cook Time: 20 - 25 Min

Empty the contents of the refried beans into a small pot set to medium low. Cover and simmer until needed.

Begin heating a non-stick skillet set to medium. Once heated, add the Beyond Beef and start to break it up in the pan. Heat for 4 – 5 minutes, stirring and continuing to break up the “beef” as it cooks and sears. Make a well in the center of the pan and drop in the garlic. Once you smell it (about 1 minute) stir it in and continue to cook for another 3 minutes.

Remove the beef from the pan leaving behind the juices and drop in the onion and bell pepper. Season with sea salt & pepper and cook for 5 – 7 minutes until they have cooked down and are no longer crunchy. Add in the beef along with the chili powder, cumin, garlic & onion powders, pepper flakes, and oregano. Continue to stir and cook for another couple minutes until the spices have cooked out.

Grocery List

12 Flour Soft Street Tacos
340g Beyond Beef
454g can Refried Beans
3 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1 Yellow Onion, chopped
1 Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Tsp. Chili Powder
1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Tsp. Onion Powder
1 Tsp. Cumin
¼ Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
¼ Tsp. Dried Oregano
1 Head Romaine, thinly sliced into shreds
1 C Tomatoes, diced (Roma, Grape, Cherry)
½ bunch Green Onions, sliced
1 C Monterey Jack, shredded
Fresh Cilantro
Green Salsa (optional)
Sour Cream (optional)
Hot Sauce (optional)
Sea Salt, Cracked Pepper

Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Turn off, cover, and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat up a grill pan on medium heat. Brush it with EVOO and once heated, drop the tortillas on the grill 2- 3 at a time. Grill them for 30 – 50 seconds per side until warm and malleable. Continue until all the tortillas are warmed up.

For service, smear a TBSP. of the refried beans on each shell followed by a sprinkling of cheese, 2 – 3 spoonful’s of the beyond beef, lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, cilantro leaves, and any optional toppings you desire. ENJOY!

Sausage & Brown Rice Skillet

5/15/2020

Sausage & Brown Rice Skillet

Prep Time: 20 Min

Cook Time: 35 - 40 Min

Put the rice, water, salt, and butter in a small sauce pot. Set to medium high and bring to a boil. Once boiled, reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer 20+ minutes until cooked.

Slice the sausages into 5 o 6 equal sized slices. Begin heating a non-stick pan on medium heat. Once heated. Place the sausages into the pan and let them sizzle away for 3 minutes before flipping them and letting them go another 3 or so minutes until nice and brown on both sides.

Transfer the sausages to a plate leaving behind the sausage grease. Add the onions, celery, bell pepper, pepper flakes, and a good pinch of sea salt and pepper. Stir and cook 5 minutes. Make a well in the center of the pan and add the garlic. Cook one minute before stirring it in. Next, add the asparagus and mushrooms. Season with salt again, cover, and cook another 3 minutes. Remove lid, add the tomato paste, grape tomatoes, and a pinch of sea salt. Cover and continue to cook another 3 -4 minutes.

Grocery List

1 C Long Grain Brown Rice
2 C Water
1 Tsp. Unsalted Butter
1 Tsp. Sea Salt

4 Beyond Meat Hot Italian Sausages
1 Yellow Onion, diced
3 stalks Celery, diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
C cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1 Bunch Asparagus, chopped (ends removed)
1 C Grape Tomatoes, chopped
1 C Button Mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
796ml can Diced Tomatoes with Italian Seasonings
¼ C Low Sodium Vegetable Stock
½ Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tsp. Italian Seasonings
½ Tsp. Onion Powder
1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Tsp. Dried Basil
½ Tsp. Vegeta Seasoning
Sea Salt / Cracked Pepper

1/3 C Fresh Parsley, chopped

Pour in the vegetable stock, diced tomatoes, and another good pinch of salt. Once the tomato sauce comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low. Add in the Italian seasoning, onion & garlic powders, dried basil, and vegeta seasoning. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Taste and add salt if desired. Stir in the cooked rice until everything is nice and incorporated. Now, place the sausage slices all over the top of the rice dish. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with the fresh parsley prior to service. ENJOY!

Gigantes

5/9/2020

Gigantes

Prep Time: 10 Min

Cook Time: 40 Min

Begin heating the EVOO in a large frying pan set to medium heat. Once heated, add the pepper flakes, ½ Tsp. dried thyme, and onions. Season with sea salt and pepper, stir, and cook 5 minutes.

Make a well in the center of the pan and drop in the garlic. Let that cook about 1 minute before stirring it into the onions and continuing to cook for 3 minutes.

Add the red wine vinegar, honey, and crushed tomatoes. Stir and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low. Add the sea salt, garlic and onion powders, dried parsley, remaining thyme, oregano, cinnamon, and a generous amount of cracked pepper. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Stir in the beans, return cover, and simmer another 5 minutes. Remove lid and continue to simmer roughly 5 minutes until reduced. Stir in ¾ of the parsley. Taste and season with sea salt and additional pepper if desired.

Toast the bread and rub with remaining garlic clove. For service enjoy the gigantes served over the bread or on the side using the bread to scoop up the sauce. Dress each serving with remaining parsley. ENJOY!

Grocery List

2 Tbsp. EVOO
2x 540ml can Butter Beans (Giant Lima Beans Would Also Work), drained & rinsed
796ml can Crushed Tomatoes
1 Yellow Onion, diced
4 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1 clove Garlic, gently crushed
1 Tsp. Honey
Splash Red Wine Vinegar (1 – 2 Tbsp)
1 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
½ Tsp. Garlic Powder
2 Tsp. Onion Powder
1 Tsp. Dried Parsley
1 ½ Tsp. Dried Thyme
1 Tsp. Dried Oregano
¼ Tsp. Cinnamon
1 + Tsp. Sea Salt
½ C Fresh Parsley, chopped
Cracked Pepper
Fresh Bread, sliced

Cheeseburger Rigatoni Bake

5/4/2020

Cheeseburger Rigatoni Bake

Prep Time: 20 Min

Cook Time: 60 - 70 Min

Preheat oven to 375 F

Begin heating a large pot of cold, salted water on medium high heat. Once boiling, stir in the pasta and cook until just barely al dente. Strain right away and set aside.

*Continue as pasta boils.

Heat a large frying pan on medium heat. Once heated, add in the beyond beef and cook 6 – 8 minutes until browned nicely. Make sure to break it apart as it cooks to your desired crumble. Once finished, remove the beef from the pan and add in the garlic. Stir and cook 1 minute before stirring in the pepper flakes, onions, bell peppers, and Italian seasonings. Stir and cook 6 – 8 minutes until veggies have cooked down. Set aside.

*Continue as veggies cook.

Heat the butter for the cheese sauce in a medium sized pot set to medium heat. Once melted, stir in the flour, reduce the heat to medium low, and stir often for roughly 3 minutes to cook down some of the raw flour. Return the heat to medium and slowly whisk in the milk until combined. Once the sauce comes to a boil, reduce the heat again to medium low and stir in the vegeta and white pepper. Simmer until thickened, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream cheese, nutmeg, mozzarella, and cheddar. Taste and adjust salt if desired.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cooked rigatoni, cheese sauce, cooked “beef”, and veggies. Once combined, pour into a greased 3qt. baking dish. Sprinkle the ½ C old cheddar over the pasta.

Melt the butter for the crumb topping in the microwave. In a small bowl, add the panko, optional cheese crackers and a good pinch of sea salt / pepper. Pour the butter of the crumbs and stir to combine everything. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the pasta.

Cover and bake 35 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake another 10 – 15 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 – 10+ minutes before serving. Garnish with sliced green onions and ENJOY!

Grocery List

450g Dry Rigatoni Pasta
½ C Extra Old Cheddar, shredded
3 Green Onions, thinly sliced

MEAT MIXTURE

340g package Beyond Beef
1 Yellow Onion, diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
3 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
½ Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
½ Tsp. Italian Seasoning

CHEESE SAUCE

¼ C Unsalted Butter
3 Heaping Tbsp. A.P Flour
4 C 2% Milk
1 ¼ Tsp. Vegeta Seasoning
¼ Tsp. Ground White Pepper
Dash Nutmeg
2 Tbsp. Cream Cheese
1 C Mozzarella, shredded
1 C Extra Old White Cheddar, shredded

CRUMB TOPPING

¾ C Panko Crumbs
Handful Cheesy Crackers of Choice, crushed (optional)
2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, melted
Sea Salt / Cracked Pepper