Blog Archives - HAPPY VEG

Creamy Mac Salad

8/31/2016

Creamy Mac Salad

Prep Time: 15 Min

Cook Time: 10 Min

1.     Cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Strain and transfer to an iced bath / run under cold water to stop cooking.

2.     Once cooled, add the macaroni to a large sized mixing bowl. Add the onion, pepper, cucumber, and celery. Stir to combine.

3.     Add the mayo, vinegar, fresh & dried parsley, chives, and salt / pepper to taste. Stir to combine.

4.     Refrigerate 30 Min + prior to enjoying!

Grocery List

(Roughly 2 1/2 – 3C dry depending on size of elbow macaroni)
4 C cooked Elbow Macaroni
1 Red Onion, diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
½ English Cucumber, diced
2 stalks Celery, diced
¼ C Fresh Parsley, chopped
½ Tsp. Dried Parsley
½ Tsp. Dried Chives
½ C Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. White Vinegar
Sea Salt / Black Pepper

Chickpea Tomato Soup

8/29/2016

Chickpea Tomato Soup

Prep Time: 15 Min

Cook Time: 40 - 45 Min

Heat up the EVOO in a medium sized pot over medium heat. Add the potatoes and a good pinch of salt / pepper. Cook 5 minutes.

Stir in the celery, onion, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Season with a good pinch of sea salt. Continue cooking 5 – 6 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add in the vegetable stock and accent tomatoes. Swish the can with the water and add that also. Bring to a boil on medium. Once boiled, remove the thyme and add the chickpeas, spinach, garlic powder, fresh basil, and ¼ Tsp. sea salt

Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer 25 – 30 minutes.

Stir in the fresh parsley, adjust salt / pepper if desired and ENJOY!

Grocery List

¼ C EVOO
1 Yellow Onion, diced
2 stalks Celery, sliced
3 Russet Potatoes, diced
2 C Fresh Spinach
540ml can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
540ml can Italian Accent Tomatoes
6 / 7 sprigs Fresh Thyme
2 Tbsp. Fresh Basil. Chopped
½ Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
½ Tsp. Garlic Powder
2 C Fresh Vegetable Stock (or low sodium boxed stock)
¼ C Cold Water
Sea Salt / Pepper
2 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped

Black Bean Burgers

8/26/2016

Black Bean Burgers

Prep Time: 15 Min

Freeze Time: 1 Hr +

Cook Time: 6 - 10 Min

In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the beans and mash with a potato masher. Leave some of the beans in tact but try and mash most of them to get a creamy consistency to help with binding.

Add the remainder of the ingredients to the bowl. Season with salt / pepper (approx. ¼ tsp. each) and stir everything together. Taste and adjust salt / pepper if desired.

Form the mixture in to 4 separate patties. Transfer the patties to a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the burgers in to the freezer for an hour at the least.

Cut the parchment paper around the burgers a little larger than the circumference of the burgers themselves. This will separate the burgers when freezing. Place the burgers in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze until ready to cook.

Heat a large frying pan to just below medium and pour in the EVOO. Swirl the oil around the pan to coat the cooking area entirely. Place the frozen burgers in to the pan and season the open side with sea salt.

Continuously check the burgers for a crispy fried texture. Once the burgers have seared (3 – 5 Min) flip and sear the other side for about the same amount of time.

Once cooked, slip the burger in to a bun and top with all your favourite toppings.

Grocery List

540ml can Black Beans, drained & rinsed
2 Tbsp. Cilantro, chopped
½ Red Onion, diced
½ Large (1 small) Poblano Pepper, diced
1 clove Garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. Panko Breadcrumbs
¼ Tsp. Cumin
¼ Tsp. Chili Powder
¼ Tsp. Onion Powder
¼ Tsp. Garlic Powder
Sea Salt / Black Pepper

EVOO for frying

Cucumber & Cauliflower Salad

8/24/2016

Cucumber& Cauliflower Salad

Prep Time: 10 Min

Add all vegetables including fresh parsley to a medium sized mixing bowl and toss together.

Drizzle the EVOO over the salad followed by the crumbled feta, mustard, dried herbs, and red wine vinegar. Toss everything together and add more EVOO if needed.

Add sea salt / black pepper to taste. Serve immediately or refrigerate until meal time.

** Be mindful of salt. The Feta is salty so a pinch of sea salt will likely be enough. Make sure to taste prior to adding more salt.

Grocery List

6 Mini Cucumbers, sliced
½ Pint Medley Tomatoes, quartered
½ Red Onion, diced
½ Head of Cauliflower, chopped in to smaller florets
¼ C Fresh Parsley, chopped

¼ C + EVOO
Splash Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tbsp. Squeezable Basil (1 ½ Tbsp. chopped Fresh)
1 Heaping Tsp. Old Style Mustard
¼ C Feta, crumbled
½ Tsp. Dried Parsley
½ Tsp. Dried Italian Seasoning

Sea Salt / Black Pepper

Chopped Garden Salad

8/22/2016

Chopped Garden Salad

Prep Time: 15 Min

Add all chopped vegetables to a medium sized mixing bowl. Stir in the EVOO, vinegar, and all fresh / dried herbs and spices.

Taste and adjust salt / pepper to taste. ENJOY right away or refrigerate for a later meal!

*Vinaigrettes are so delicious at room temperature, try removing salad from the fridge a few minutes before your meal to let the salad warm up a bit.

Grocery List

1 Carrot, diced
1 Red Onion, diced
1 English Cucumber, diced
3 stalks Celery, diced
1 Yellow Bell Pepper, diced
¼ C Fresh Parsley, chopped
4 Tbsp. EVOO
1 ½ Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tsp. Dried Parsley
½ Tsp. Dried Basil
¼ Tsp. Red pepper Flakes
¼ Tsp. Sea Salt
7 – 10 cracks Peppercorn

Mixed Bean Salad

8/19/2016

Mixed Bean Salad

Prep Time: 10 Min

Start by adding the beans, peppers, onions, rosemary, and parsley to a medium sized mixing bowl. Toss everything to together.

Pour in the oil, juice, and hot sauce. Toss to combine. Season with seasoned salt as well as 7 or 8 cracks of pepper. Taste and sprinkle in sea salt if desired.

Serve immediately. Salad can be refrigerated.

ENJOY!

Grocery List

540ml can Mixed Beans, drained and rinsed
1 small Red Onion, diced
½ large Yellow Bell Pepper, diced
¾ C Fresh Parsley, roughly chopped
½ Tsp. Fresh Rosemary (1 sprig) , finely chopped
¼ C EVOO
1 Lemon, juiced
1 Tbsp. Hot Sauce
¼ Tsp. Seasoned Salt
Sea Salt / Black Pepper

White Bean & Basil Meatballs

8/17/2016

White Bean & Basil Meatballs

Prep Time: 15 Min

Chill Time: 30 Min +

Cook Time: 4 - 8 Min

Add the beans to a medium sized mixing bowl. Use a potato masher and mash the beans leaving only a few chunks.

Add the remaining ingredients and use your hands to combine and mash everything together.

Grab about a Tbsp. sized clump of bean mixture and roll it in to a ball shape. Continue until entire batch is rolled. (Approximately 12 – 15 Balls) Transfer the balls to a parchment lined baking sheet and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

**Balls can be frozen and used at a later date as well!

Bring a medium sized frying pan to temperature on medium. Pour in about 3 Tbsp. EVOO and swirl around the pan to coat entirely. Place the cool meatballs in to the pan and fry 1 – 2 minutes per side until crispy and brown.

**Make sure the pan is to temperature before putting the meatballs in. If there is no sizzle when you plop the balls in TAKE THEM OUT! They will soak up oil and fall apart. It’s important the pan is hot for searing.
**Be gentle with the balls as they are only bound by the mashed beans and begging to fall apart. Use tongs to gently roll them over in the pan when attempting to fry.

Transfer cooked balls to a paper towel lined plate. Serve in wraps, pitas, or as a garnish for a delicious pasta dish!

Grocery List

540ml can White Beans, drained & rinsed
¾ C Broccoli, finely chopped
1 Yellow Onions, finely diced
3 Tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
1 clove Garlic, minced
¼ C Panko Crumbs
½ Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
¼ Tsp. Sea Salt
¼ Tsp. Black Pepper

These meatballs are so delicious and you can most definitely enjoy them right out of the fry pan but they are also great in other dishes. Here's a couple suggestions on how to enjoy these meatballs!

SPINACH & ARTICHOKE WRAPS WITH BASIL MEATBALLS

**Spinach, Artichokes, Tomatoes, Red Onions, Fresh Basil, Mayo, Basil Meatballs

Starting with the mayonnaise, smear across the length of the tortilla. Layer the spinach, tomato, onion, and artichoke followed by three of the creamy basil meatballs. Wrap and enjoy!

FRESH SALAD with BASIL MEATBALLS

Whip up your favourite oil and vinegar based salad and top it with a few crispy, creamy meatballs for extra flavour and protein!

Spiced Potato stuffed Poblano Peppers

8/15/2016

Spiced Potato Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Prep Time: 25 Min

Cook Time: 30 - 35 Min

Begin melting the butter and EVOO together in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the red onion and green onion and a pinch of salt. Sautee roughly 5 minutes.

Add the potatoes and a generous pinch of sea salt. Cover, stir and sauté 5 – 7 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, along with the spice blend. Cover and continue cooking 5 – 7 minutes.

Remove lid and cook until potatoes get a bit crispy (another 5 or so minutes).

Taste and adjust salt if desired. Stir in the fresh cilantro & parsley and set aside off the heat with the lid on.

Set the oven to broil on 450 F

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and lay the open portions of the peppers face down. Spray the peppers with cooking spray and season each one with sea salt. Put in oven to broil about 5 minutes (check for blistering / blackening)

Flip the peppers over to expose the open side. Return to broiler 4 or 5 minutes. Remove the peppers from the oven.

Transfer the peppers to a baking dish placing them open side up. Sprinkle a pinch of cheese inside the bottom of each pepper. Spoon the potato mixture generously into the peppers. Press down to force the filling into the corners and stack the filling generously. Top each pepper with a mound of shredded cheddar / jal cheddar. Return to oven for 3 – 5 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve garnished with my fresh cilantro pico, delicious corn salad, or even some sour cream and hot sauce.

ENJOY!

Grocery List

3 Poblano Peppers, halved lengthwise and all seeds / membranes removed
1 C Jalapeno Cheddar, shredded
1 C Medium Cheddar, shredded

2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
1 Tbsp. EVOO
1 ¼ C Mini Yellow Potatoes, diced
½ Red Onion, diced
2 cloves Garlic, crushed & chopped
3 Green Onions, white & light green portions only
1 Tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
Spice Blend

¼ Tsp. White Pepper
¼ Tsp. Chili Powder
¼ Tsp. Garlic Powder
¼ Tsp. Turmeric
¼ Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
½ Tsp. Paprika

Sea Salt
Sour Cream (optional)
Fresh Pico / Corn Salsa (optional)

Basil & Avocado Hummus

8/10/2016

Basil & Avocado Hummus

Prep Time: 10 Min

Add all ingredients to food processor and puree 15 seconds.

Check consistency and add water if necessary. Taste and adjust salt to taste.

Puree another 10 – 15 seconds.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with EVOO and a sprinkle of fresh, chopped parsley.

Dip with hearty crackers / toasts.

Grocery List

540ml can Unsalted Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 Avocado
1 clove Garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp. Basil Paste / ¼ C Fresh Basil
1 Tbsp. Tahini
3 – 4 Tbsp. Cold Water
3 Tbsp. EVOO + Final Drizzle
2 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley + 1 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley Garnish
½ Tsp. Sea Salt +
½ Tsp. White Pepper

Corn Salsa

8/8/2016

Corn Salsa

Prep Time: 10 Min

Place the frozen corn in a bowl with warm water. Soak until defrosted.

Add the corn, tomato, onion, green onion, and jalapeno to a medium sized mixing bowl. Stir in the lime juice & EVOO.

Stir in the fresh parsley & cilantro. Season with sea salt & pepper to taste.

ENJOY!

Grocery List

2 C Frozen Corn
1 Roma Tomato, seeded & diced
3 Green Onions, sliced
½ Red Onion, diced
1 Jalapeno, seeded & diced
2 Tbsp. fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 Lime, juiced
¼ C EVOO
Splash White Vinegar
Sea Salt / Pepper