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Creamy Pecorino Pepper Corn Skillet

7/30/2024

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Creamy Pecorno Pepper Corn SKillet

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 15 - 20 Min

WHAT YOU NEED

2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
20 + cracks Mixed Peppercorns From A Grinder
2 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1 Tsp. Pepperoncini In Chili Oil
2 Cobs Fresh Peaches & Cream Corn, stripped from cob
1/2 C Whipping Cream, room temperature
1/2 C Pecorino, finely shredded
1 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
1/2 C Garlic & Herb Cheddar, shredded

(Sub Medium Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Mozz)

Himalayan Salt
GARNISH - Basil, Parsley, pepper Flakes

DIRECTIONS

Begin heating the butter, pepperoncini, garlic, and cracked pepper, in a 10" skillet set to just about medium. Once heated, stir and cook roughly 1 minute. No browning, so stir often and get ready for the next step if needed. Add the corn and a good pinch of salt. Stir and cook until warmed through, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the cream and let the corn come to a light boil. Once boiled, reduce to a simmer and season with a good pinch or two of salt. Allow the saucy corn to simmer uncovered for 10 - 12 minutes, until rich, creamy, and reduced.
Turn off the heat and stir in the pecorino & parsley. Taste and adjust salt / pepper if desired. Cover the dish with the shredded garlic & herb cheddar, cover, and set aside for a couple minutes to melt the cheese.
Garnish the skillet with basil, pepper flakes, and parsley. Serve as a creamy stand alone, perhaps over a small baked potato, or perhaps with some crusty, grilled bread?
ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Crispy Tater Tzatziki Plate

Prep Time: 25 Min
Chill Time: 30 + Min
Cook Time: 25 + Min

WHAT YOU NEED

2 Large Russet Potatoes
EVOO, Himalayan Salt, Red Pepper Flakes, Cracked Pepper

TZATZIKI

1 C Plain Greek Yogurt
2 Heaping Tbsp. Full Fat Sour Cream
1 Tbsp. EVOO
1/2 C Shredded Cucumber, squeezed of liquids
1 clove Garlic, crushed & pressed / minced
1/2 Lemon + , juice & zest
2 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp. Fresh Dill, finely chopped
1/4 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 Tsp. + Himalayan Salt
Cracked Pepper To Taste

GARNISH

Fresh Dill, Fresh Chives, chopped, Fresh Parsley, Red Pepper Flakes, Feta

DIRECTIONS

Mix everything together for the tzatziki in a mixing bowl. Taste and adjust lemon, salt, or pepper if needed / desired. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the taters / a minimum of 30 minutes. Prior to serving, taste and adjust further if needed. You don't need a salty tzatziki, especially considering we're dumping crispy, salty taters on top.

Preheat oven to 425 F
Thoroughly scrub your taters before chopping them in to approximately 3/4" sized pieces. Toss them with EVOO, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, and transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 + minutes, flipping at least once. Once they're golden brown and crisp, remove them from the oven and set the tray on a wire cooling rack. Season the tray with a generous pinch of salt.

Grab your tzatziki form the fridge and drop giant dollops on to a long serving plate / platter, spreading them around to coat the bottom of the platter. Give the plate a drizzle of EVOO and gently work that in to the tzatziki. You want a nice bed of tzatziki for your taters. Spoon the roasted taters over the tzatziki and garnish with heaps of fresh dill, crumbled feta, chopped parsley & chives, and pepper flakes.
ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Cheesy Baked Summer Squash

Prep Time: 10 Min
Cook Time: 15 - 20 Min

Yields: 15 + Pieces

WHAT YOU NEED

1 Good Sized Summer Squash (Yellow Zucchini)
Cooking Spray
Hard Cheese (Pecorino, Grana)
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes
Fresh Chives, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 425 F
Slice the summer squash in to 15 - 20 equal sized pieces, roughly 1/4" thick. Line them up on a parchment lined baking sheet that's been sprayed with cooking spray. Season each slice with Himalayan salt & cracked pepper.
Finely grate enough hard cheese to top each slice with a nice nest of cheese. Finish by topping each slice with a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Bake 15 - 20 minutes until squash is tender and cheese is golden brown. If needed / desired, switch the oven to broil for a minute to really brown up that cheese. Watch the zucchinis after the 15 minute mark to ensure they do not burn.
Remove and sprinkle each slice with freshly chopped chives. Serve & ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Chik'n Caesar Salad Flatbread

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 25 - 30 Min

Yields: 10 Pieces

WHAT YOU NEED

220g Flatbreads (2 Pack Appetizer Oval Shaped. Mine were President's Choice)
417g Gardein Supreme Chik'n Nuggets
Pepperoncini In Oil
2 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1 1/2 - 2 Heads Romaine Lettuce, finely chopped (shredduce)
1/2 + Red Onion, thinly sliced
Grana Padano
Prepared Caesar Dressing (Look for Anchovy Free to Keep it Vegetarian)
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven according to package for chik'n bites.
Dump 2/3 of the bag of chik'n bites on a parchment lined baking sheet, and give them a good spray with cooking spray. Season with a pinch of salt & pepper. Bake according to package directions until golden and crisp. When assembling, slice them in half!
Place the flatbreads on a baking sheet large enough to accommodate them. Spread pepperoncini + chili oil all over the flatbreads before sprinkling the minced garlic over them.
Adjust your oven temperature if needed from the bites and bake until crisp according to package direction.

In the meantime, wash and thoroughly dry your chopped romaine. Once dry, add it to a mixing bowl and dress it to your liking with Caesar dressing. Grate as MUCH grana padano as your heart desires in to that bowl. Season with salt & cracked pepper, toss, taste, and finish with additional cheese, salt, or pepper if you need them.
Remove the flatbreads and carefully transfer them to your cutting board. I sliced them in to roughly 5 equal sized pieces, for a total of 10. Top them with the Caesar salad and nestle the halved chik'n bites & sliced onions on to each piece. Finish with a light drizzle of the dressing, and some additional grana padano. ENJOY!

DISCLAIMER - These are messy lol but who cares. They're fun, quick, and tasty!

HAPPY VEG

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Sweet Acai Berry Smoothie

2 SMOOTHIES

2 Bananas
4 Clementines
4 Pieces Frozen Pineapple
1 1/2 C Frozen Mixed Berries
1 1/2 C Lightly Packed Baby Spinach
2 Tbsp. Hemp Hearts
1 1/2 Tbsp. Acai Berry Powder
2 C + Silk Unsweetened Almond / Coconut Blend

Add everything to your vortex blender and blend until smooth, adding additional milk if needed / desired. Pour in to two separate glasses, serve, and ENJOY! This smoothie contains 9 of your weekly 30 plants <3

Blue Berry Blast Smoothie

2 SMOOTHIES

2 Bananas
2 Clementines
Heaping 1/2 C Frozen Mango Pieces
Heaping C Frozen Wild Blueberries
2 Big Handfuls Baby Spinach
3 Tbsp. Hemp Hearts
1 Tbsp. Camu Camu Berry Powder
1/2 Tbsp. Acai Berry Powder
2 C + Silk Unsweetened Almond / Coconut Milk Blend

Add everything to your vortex blender and blend until smooth, adding additional milk if needed / desired. Pour in to two separate glasses and enjoy! This smoothie contains 8 of your weekly 30 plants <3

Tropical Strawberry

2 SMOOTHIES

2 Bananas
300g Bag Frozen Mix Pineapple, Strawberries, Mango
2 Handfuls Frozen Strawberries
1 1/2 C Lightly Packed Baby Spinach
2 Tbsp. Hemp Hearts
1 Tbsp. Camu Camu Berry Powder
2 C + Silk Unsweetened Almond / Coconut Blend

Add everything to your vortex blender and blend until smooth and creamy. This is a thicker smoothie, so add additional milk if desired for a thinner consistency. Split in to two glasses and ENJOY! This smoothie contains 7 of your weekly 30 plants <3

HAPPY VEG

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Bucatini Arrabbiata with Sausage Meatballs

7/20/2024

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Bucatini Arrabbiata
with Sausage Meatballs

Prep Time: 30 Min
Cook Time: 45 - 50 Min

Yields: 4 Servings

WHAT YOU NEED

400g Dry Bucatini Pasta

MEATBALLS

4 x Beyond Meat Hot Italian Sausages
1/4 C Cooked Brown Rice
1 clove Garlic, crushed & minced
1/4 C Red Onion, finely diced
1 Tbsp. Fresh Basil, rolled & sliced (chiffonade)
2 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
1/4 C Pizza Mozzarella, shredded
1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 Tsp. Himalayan Salt
Cracked Pepper

SAUCE

1/4 C EVOO
4 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1 Tbsp. Pepperoncini In Oil
1 Tbsp. Hot Cherry Peppers, finely chopped
Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
1 Yellow Onion, finely diced
1 Medium Carrot, peeled & finely diced
1 Tbsp. Store Bought Red Pesto
Small Handful Fresh Basil, torn
796ml can Whole San Marzano Tomatoes
1/2 Tsp. + Himalayan Salt

GARNISH - Grana Padano, Fresh Basil

DIRECTIONS

MEATBALLS - Preheat your oven to 425 F. Mix everything together in a mixing bowl until fully combined. Place parchment on a baking sheet and give it a light spray with cooking spray. Take level tablespoons of the meatball mixture and roll them in to balls. I found I had to squeeze the mixture in my hands a bit before it rolled nicely. Transfer the balls to the greased, parchment lined tray. You should have roughly 16 meatballs. Place in to the oven to bake for roughly 15 minutes, flipping halfway.

NOTE

The cheese combined with the plant-based sausage meat made the tray undeniably greasy. I was nervous at first, but upon tasting them, they were so tasty, juicy, and fab. Don't be frightened if the tray is a bit greasy/. If you'd like, you could swap the pizza mozzarella for grana padano and that would reduce the oil on the tray a bit.

SAUCE - Begin heating the EVOO, garlic, pepperoncini, and hot cherry peppers, in a large skillet set to just about medium. Once heated, stir and let everything sizzle together for 30 seconds before adding the onion, carrot, and a good pinch of both salt & pep. Stir and continue to cook 6 - 8 minutes, or until the veggies are tender. Sprinkle in the basil, stir in the red pesto, and continue to cook another minute or so. Pour in the tomatoes and use a potato masher to bust them up in the skillet. Fill the can of tomatoes about half way with water and swish it around to snatch all of the tomato juice / bits and pour this in to the skillet. Bring the sauce to a boil and once boiled, add the salt, reduce to a simmer, and cover for 25 - 30 minutes.

Once the meatballs are finished, transfer them directly to the skillet with the sauce. Stir and let the sauce continue to cook for the remainder of the full 25 - 30 mins.
Cook your bucatini al dente according to package directions, removing them about a minute early and straining them directly to the sauce / meatball skillet. Toss the pasta with the sauce / meatballs, adding a nice ladle of pasta water to help that sauce coat everything. You may desire additional pasta water for a saucier pasta. Once the bucatini is al dente perfection, taste and season with additional salt if needed.
Serve bucatini with 3 - 4 meatballs on top. Grate as much grana padano as you desire on each serving and finish with some fresh basil. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Zucchini Scallion Risotto

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

Yields: 2 Main / 4 Side

WHAT YOU NEED

2 C Pres. Choice Plant-Based Chik'n Broth
2 C Water
2 Tbsp. EVOO
2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
1/2 Tsp. Red pepper Flakes
1 Zucchini, cut in to thin rounds
1 Bunch Green Onions, sliced & separated light & dark portions
3 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1/2 Small Zucchini, diced
1 C Arborio Rice
1 C White Wine ( I used Pinto Grigio)
1/2 C Grana Padano, finely shredded
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
GARNISH - Grana Padano, Reserved Green Onions, Basil

DIRECTIONS

Add the broth and water to a covered pot and bring to a boil. Once boiled, reduce heat to a rapid simmer and keep covered.
Add the butter, EVOO, and pepper flakes, to a 10" skillet set to just about medium. Once melted and to temp, fry the zucchini rounds on both sides until golden brown and slightly crisp. You'll likely need to work in two batches. Transfer the cooked zucchini to a paper towel lined plate and hit them with salt right out of the oil.

Once the zucchini is crisped up, add the light portions of the green onion to the skillet and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and let those cook for a couple of minutes before stirring in the garlic. Continue to cook another couple of minutes, stirring as needed to avoid browning. Stir in the diced zucchini, and another good pinch of both salt and pepper. Let that cook another 2 minutes.
Stir in the arborio rice and toast it off in the skillet. You're looking for the grains to go opaque with the white germ nice and visible. Once the rice is ready, pour in your wine and let that simmer until reduced almost entirely. Now, start with a ladle of the hot broth / water and simmer until absorbed, adding another, and continuing this process until the rice is almost perfectly al dente. I add a pinch of salt every time I add another ladle of broth / water.

When the rice is just about ready, add your final ladle of the broth / water and let it simmer away. When the rice is cooked, there should still be some creamy action happening in the skillet. Turn off the heat and fold in the most of the dark portions of the green onions and the grana padano. Taste and adjust salt / pepper if needed / desired. Remove the pan from the burner and let it set for a couple of minutes.
Serve each creamy portion of risotto with some of the fried zucchini on top and finish with some finely grated grana padano, reserved green onions, and fresh basil. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Summery Garden
Salad

Prep Time: 15 Min
Chill Time: 30 Min +

Yields: 4 Servings

WHAT YOU NEED

3 Tbsp. + EVOO
1 Lemon
1 clove Garlic, crushed & finely minced
1 Tsp. Pepperoncini In Oil
1 Tbsp. Prepared Pesto
1/4 Tsp. + Himalayan Salt
Cracked Pepper
1 C Snap Peas, chopped
1 Pint Grape Tomatoes, halved
1/2 Red Onion, sliced thinly
1/2 Bunch Green Onions, chopped
1 Bell pepper, chopped
1/4 English Cucumber, sliced in to half moons
1/4 C Fresh Parsley, chopped
TOP - Crumbled Feta, Pepper Flakes, Fresh Parsley

DIRECTIONS

Whisk together the EVOO, pepperoncini, pesto, garlic, salt, a few cracks of pepper, and the juice of the lemon until combined.
Add the cukes, toms, pepper, green & red onion, snap peas, and parsley, to a good sized mixing bowl. Pour the vinaigrette over the veggies and toss until everything is nice and coated. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow the flavours to come together.
Remove the salad from the fridge about 10 minutes prior to when you're serving. Toss the salad and transfer to a serving bowl. Taste and add additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed / desired. Garnish with as much crumbled feta as your heart desires, a good sprinkling of pepper flakes, and additional parsley. Serve and ENJOY!
I found this salad ate its best on day one. With that being said, it can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days. When serving, I'd suggest a good drizzle of EVOO and another squeeze of lemon to give it some life!

HAPPY VEG

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Smashed Meatball
Rolls

Prep Time: 25 Min
Cook Time: 20 - 25 Min

Yields: 4 Sandwiches

WHAT YOU NEED

4 x Sandwich Rolls
PESTO
Fresh Basil
Grana Padano

www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/macadamia-nut-pesto
**Note - I didn't have macadamia nuts so I used this recipe and featured 2 Tbsp. Raw Pine Nuts & 2 Tbsp. Roasted & Salted Cashews. I also added a bit more cheese so add a couple extra chunks ;)

8 Tbsp. + Pizza Mozzarella, shredded
Store-Bought Red Tomato Pesto (Sub any red pesto)

MEATBALLS

340g Impossible Foods Beef
1 Piece Artisan Bread, torn in to very small pieces
2% Milk
1 Tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
2 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
1/2 Small Yellow Onion, finely diced
1 clove Garlic, crushed & minced
1/4 C Grana Padano, finely shredded
1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 Tsp. Himalayan Salt

DIRECTIONS

If the pesto was not prepared in advance, prepare it now according to the recipe provided :)
Preheat oven to 425 F

MEATBALLS - Add the torn up bread to a mixing bowl and pour in enough milk to coat the bread. Toss it around / mash it up with a fork a bit to make sure the bread is soaked. Grab all of the remaining ingredients and chop / prepare while the bread soaks. Add everything to the bowl and work together with your hands until thoroughly combined. Scoop heaping tablespoons of the mixture and roll in to ball shapes; you're looking for 8 equal sized balls. Transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment & sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake for 16 - 20 minutes, flipping halfway until nice and golden on both sides. Remove and set on to a wire cooling rack. Gently smash the meatballs on the tray and top them with 1 + Tbsp. of shredded mozz. I used about a Tbsp. but you may want more! return them to the oven for a couple minutes until the cheese is melty.

ASSEMBLY - In the meantime, preheat a grill pan and slice open your rolls. Drizzle / brush the open side of the rolls with EVOO. Slap on the grill and cook until crisp with nice grill marks, working in batches depending on the size of your grill pan. Remove and rub the cooked side of each roll with raw garlic.
Spread fresh pesto on side, and red pesto on the other. Use as much or as little of each as you'd like, but I'd suggest slathering in that fresh pesto because it's just so delicious! Place two, cheesy smashed meatballs on each roll and grate some fresh grana padano over them. Close them up, garnish with basil if desired, and serve. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Pesto Bruschetta

7/10/2024

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Pesto Bruschetta

Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 5 Min

Yields: 8 Pieces

WHAT YOU NEED

1 Long, Thin Baguette (French or Italian works) Cut in to 8 diagonal slices
2 cloves Garlic, gently crushed
1 C Grape Tomatoes, finely chopped
2 - 3 Tbsp. EVOO
1/4 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
Himalayan Salt
Macadamia Nut Pesto

www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/macadamia-nut-pesto

Fresh Basil
Balsamic Reduction
Grana Padano

DIRECTIONS

If you need to prepare the pesto, do so now. You can also sub store-bought to save time but I will say, my Macadamia Pesto is pretty delish :)
Toss the tomatoes with the pepper flakes and EVOO. Season to taste with salt and set aside.

Preheat a grill pan on just about medium heat. Brush both sides of each slice of baguette with EVOO and slap them on the grill until crisp and golden brown on both sides. Once they're toasty, rub them down with the raw garlic.
Spread pesto on each slice followed by spooning some of the bruschetta topping on top. Drizzle the slices with balsamic reduction, grate some grana padano, and nestle some fresh basil on to each slice. Serve & ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Pesto Bruschetta

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Bucatini Arrabbiata
with Sausage Meatballs

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Salad

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