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Roasted Potato & Cauli Burrito Bowls

9/30/2024

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Roasted Tater Cauli Burrito Bowls

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

Yields: 2 Main / 4 Side

What You Need

528ml Mexican Pinto Beans
2/3 C Monterey Jack with Jalapeno, shredded

RICE

1 C Dry Brown Rice, rinsed
3 Tbsp. EVOO
1 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
3 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1 Yellow Onion, diced
2 stalks Celery, diced
1 Bell Pepper (not green), diced
2 Jalapenos, diced (remove some pith / seeds)
2/3 C Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 Lime
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper

ROAST TATER / CAULI

1 Large Russet, chopped into roughly 1/2" cubes
2 1/2 - 3 C Cauliflower Florets, chopped to similar size as potatoes
EVOO
2 Tsp. Tex-Mex Seasoning
Himalayan Salt, Cracked Pep, Pepper Flakes

GARNISH

Sour Cream, Fresh Cilantro, Green Salsa, Red Salsa, Hot Sauce

Directions

Cook the brown rice according to package directions. Once finished, leave covered and set aside.
Empty the Mexican beans in to a small, covered pot set to low. Warm until service.
Preheat oven to 425 F. Add the potatoes and cauliflower to a medium sized mixing bowl. Drizzle them with EVOO and add the Tex-Mex seasoning. Toss until coated nicely and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Season with salt, pepper, and pepper flakes. Bake 25 - 30 minutes until tender with some nice charring, flipping at least once. When they come out, taste and give them a sprinkle of salt if needed.

As the taters & cauli roast, begin your rice. Heat the EVOO, garlic, and pepper flakes in a large non-stick skillet set to just about medium. Once heated, let everything sizzle together for about a minute before adding the onion, celery, bell pep, jalapeno, and a good pinch of both salt & pepper. Stir and cook 10 - 12 minutes until veggies are nice and tender. Fold in the cooked rice and continue to cook another couple of minutes until everything has come together. Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh cilantro. Add the zest of half the lime before squeezing in the juice. Season to taste with salt.

ASSEMBLY -Start by scooping rice in to your bowl. This meal serves 4 lunch sized bowls, or two mains. Spoon the saucy beans on one side of the bowl and your roasted veggies on the opposite side. Sprinkle cheese over the beans before scooping some red salsa in the center. Drizzle the bowls with sour cream and green salsa. Top with fresh cilantro and your fave hot sauce. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Zucchini Fritters

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 20 - 25 Min

Yields: 11 - 12 Patties

What You Need

EVOO for Frying
3 Small Zucchinis, shredded on the larger shred (approx 2 1/2 c shreds)
1 Large. Free-Range Egg
2 Heaping Tbsp. 4% Cottage Cheese
1 Green Onion, sliced thinly
2/3 Tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 C + 2 Tbsp. All Purp. Flour
1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 Tsp. Himalayan Salt
Cracked Pepper
GARNISH - Sour Cream, Green Onions, Pepper Flakes

Directions

After shredding your zucchini, use cheese cloth or a kitchen towel to squeeze as much liquid as you can from the zucchinis. Once you've finished, transfer the shreds to a medium sized mixing bowl. Add all of the remaining ingredients and fold together until combined thoroughly. You don't want to see any powdery flour.

Add enough EVOO to coat the entire bottom and even come up the side a little of a 10" skillet. Turn on the heat to just about medium and wait for the oil to be properly heated. Test frequently by dropping in little pieces of the mixture and wait for pretty decent bubbling action. Once your oil is heated, drop in heaping tablespoons of the mixture and gently press them down to flatten them out in to patties. You'll be working in batches.
Fry until golden brown, about 2 - 3 minutes, carefully flip, and continue on the opposite side until equally golden brown and delicious. Once completed, transfer your patties to a paper towel lined plate and hit them immediately with a pinch of Himalayan salt. Continue until all of your patties are fried and golden.
For service, serve these as a side option on your breakfast or brunch plate, or enjoy them on their own with some sour cream, a sprinkle of pep flakes, and some thinly sliced green onions. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Leek & Zucchini
Orecchiette

Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 25 - 30 Min

Yields: 4+ Servings

What You Need

454g Dry Orecchiette Pasta
2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
2 Tbsp. EVOO
1 1/2 Tbsp. Hot Cherry Peppers, chopped
3 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1 Leek, light portion only. Thoroughly washed & sliced
2 Small Zucchinis, cut in to quarter moons
1 C White Wine ( I used Pinto Grigio)
1 x Hard Cheese Rind
1/2 C Grana Padano, shredded
1/2 Lemon, juice & zest
1/4 C Fresh Parsley, chopped
Small Handful Fresh Basil, torn
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
GARNISH - Fresh Basil, Chopped Parsley, Pepper Flakes, Grana Padano

Directions

Bring a large pot of cold, generously salted water to a boil and leave covered.
Begin heating the butter, cherry peppers, EVOO, pepper flakes, and garlic, in a large skillet set to just about medium. Once heated, let everything sizzle together for about a minute, stirring and watching for browning. Add the leek and a generous pinch of both salt and pepper. Stir and cool the leeks for 7 - 10 minutes until they've cooked down.

Add the zucchini and another good pinch of both salt & pepper. Stir and let the zucchini cook about 4 minutes before pouring in the wine and adding the cheese rind. Now that you've added the wine, add your orecchiette pasta to the boiling water and boil until just about al dente. In the meantime, once the wine comes to a boil, reduce the heat slightly and simmer until the orecchiette is ready. Add pasta water to the skillet if needed to keep everything simmering.

Pluck out the cheese rind and strain the pasta directly in to the skillet. Stir until everything is combined and continue stirring and tossing the pasta in the "sauce" until perfectly al dente. This should be about 3 - 5 minutes. Once ready, remove the skillet from the heat.
Add the torn, fresh basil leaves, parsley, lemon juice, lemon zest, and grana padano. Add half a ladle of pasta water and begin tossing everything together until emulsified and combined. Don't hesitate to add additional pasta water if needed! Taste your pasta and adjust the salt / pepper if needed.
Serve each portion with additional grana padano, a sprinkle of pepper flakes, some parsley, and fresh basil. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Quick Tater Tacos

Prep Time: 10 Min
Cook Time: 30 - 35 Min

Yields: 8 Tacos

What You Need

8 Soft Corn Tortillas
398ml can Refried Beans with Chilis
2 Large Russet Potatoes, chopped in to approximately 1" cubes (3 1/2 - 4 C)
EVOO
1 Tsp. Tex-Mex Seasoning, 1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 Tsp. Chipotle Powder, 1/2 Tsp. Onion Powder, 1/2 Tsp. Mexican Chili Powder
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
GARNISH - Cilantro, Diced Red Onions, Avo-Verde Salsa, Hot Sauce

Directions

Preheat your oven to 425 F
Empty the refried beans in to a small, covered pot set to medium low. Once heated thoroughly, reduce to low until service.
Add the taters to a mixing bowl and pour in a few Tbsp. of EVOO. Add all of your seasonings, including some cracked pepper, and toss to coat the potatoes entirely in the seasonings. Transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet and season liberally with salt. Bake for 30ish minutes, flipping at least once until tender. Taste and season with additional salt if needed / desired.

When the taters are almost finished, heat a grill pan on just about medium heat and once heated, warm your tortillas on both sides until soft and malleable.
For service, spread a dollop of beans on your tortilla followed by a scoop of the roasted taters. Finish with some salsa, a sprinkle of red onions, and some fresh cilantro. A few dabs of hot sauce and you're good to go. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Cheesy Skillet Shells with Air Fried Broc & Buttery Garlic Ritz Crumb

9/21/2024

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Cheesy Skillet Shells w Broc & Ritz Crumb

Prep Time: 30 Min
Cook Time: 35 - 40 Min

Yields: 4 Servings

What You Need

5 C Dry Large Shell Pasta
Sour Cream
Green Onions, sliced

RITZ CRUMB

2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
1 Clove Garlic, crushed & minced
Good Handful Ritz Crackers, smashed in to crumbs / chunks
Pinch or Two Red Pepper Flakes
Himalayan Salt

AIR FRIED BROC

4 C Broccoli Florets, try to keep them all similar in size
EVOO
Himalayan Salt, Cracked Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes

SAUCE

1/4 C Unsalted Butter
2 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1 small Yellow Onion, diced
2 Tbsp. All Purpose Flour
1 C Whipping Cream, room temperature
2/3 C 2% Milk, room temperature
1 Tsp. Dry Mustard Powder
A Few Dashes Ground Nutmeg
1/2 Tsp. + Himalayan Salt
Cracked Pepper
1 C Monterey Jack with Habanero, shredded
1 C Marble Cheddar, shredded
1 C Extra Old White Cheddar, shredded

Directions

RITZ CRUMB - Heat the butter until bubbly and melted. Stir in the garlic and pepper flakes and let that bubble away in the butter for a couple minutes without burning. Stir as needed. Fold in the Ritz crumbs and continue to stir the crumbs over the heat until they get golden and fragrant. Once they're golden and perfect, season with a pinch of salt, stir, and transfer them to a bowl and set aside.

AIR FRIED BROC - Preheat your Air Fryer to 350 F. Once heated, add toss your florets together with EVOO, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes. Transfer them to the frier basket and put them in the air fryer. The florets will take approximately twenty minutes depending on the size of your florets. Make sure to flip them halfway and monitor them afterwards for any scorching. The stalks will still have a little crisp while the tops will be slightly charred and perfectly cooked.

SKILLET SHELLS - Bring a large pot of cold, heavily salted water to a boil and once boiled, add your shells and cook to al dente. In the meantime, begin heating the butter, pepper flakes, and garlic, in a large skillet set to just about medium. Once heated, continue to stir for 30 seconds - 1 minute without burning. Add the onions and a good pinch of salt and pep. Reduce the heat if needed to allow the onions to cook without scorching.
Let the onions cook about 5 - 7 minutes, then, sprinkle in the flour and stir until a nice, light golden roux is formed. Continue to stir and simmer another minute or so to cook out the flour flavour. You do not want the roux to brown. Whisk together the cream & milk, and slowly whisk in the cream / milk until combined. Bring your sauce to a boil and once boiled, season with dry mustard, 1/2 tsp. salt, some cracked pep, and a few dashes nutmeg. Reduce to a simmer, whisk to combine, and let simmer 4 - 5 minutes until the shells are ready. Be prepared to add small ladles of pasta water to keep the sauce simmering until the shells are al dente perfection.
Reserve 1/3 of the cheeses. Add the rest in batches to the creamy sauce along with a small ladle of pasta water. Make sure to turn off the heat to the skillet once you add the cheese! Whisk and stir until your sauce is thick and creamy, adding additional pasta water if needed. Once the noodles are ready, strain them directly in to the pot with the cheesy shells and stir until all of the noods are coated and cheesy. You may need another ladle of pasta water to get that thick, creamy sauce to coat all of your shells. Taste and adjust salt / pepper if desired at this point. Next, top with the reserved cheese, and set under the BROILER at high / 500 F until the cheese is melted and blistered.
Set the skillet on to a wire cooling rack. Pile the air fried broccoli in the center of the skillet. I added my sour cream to a squeeze bottle so I could drizzle it over the skillet. If you don't have one, you can either dollop it around the skillet, or serve your portions with a little dollop. Finish with some sliced green onions and a generous sprinkling of the Ritz crumble.
Serve each portion and if desired, top with any remaining Ritz crumble and ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Blackberry Kiwi Blast

2 Smoothies

1 1/2 C Frozen Blackberries
1 C Frozen Kiwi
2 Bananas, peeled
2 Large Handfuls Fresh Spinach
2 Tbsp. Hemp Hearts
2 Tbsp. Maqui Berry Powder
1 C Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 C Unsweetened Coconut Milk

Add everything to your Vitamix (or other vortex blender) blender and run on the smoothie setting until smooth and creamy. Add additional milk if needer for consistency. Serve and ENJOY!

Tropical Vibes

2 Smoothies

2 Bananas, peeled
1 C Frozen Pineapple
1 1/4 C Frozen Mango
2 Mandarins, peeled
2 Good Handfuls Fresh Spinach
2 Tbsp. Hemp Hearts
1 1/2 Tbsp. Baobab Powder
2 C Unsweetened Coconut Milk

Add everything to your Vitamix (or other vortex blender) Blender and run on the smoothie setting until smooth and creamy. Add additional milk if needed for consistency. Serve and ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Baked Caprese
Baguettes

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 8 - 10 Min

Yields: 2 Sammies

What You Need

235g Heat & Serve Baguette
A Ball of Pizza Mozzarella
2 Fresh Vine Tomatoes
Pickled Hot Peppers
Balsamic Reduction

PESTO

1/4 C + 1 Tbsp. Pine Nuts
5 - 6 Roasted & Salted Cashews
1/4 C + EVOO
1 Large Clove Garlic, smashed
28g Fresh Basil
1/4 C Fresh Parsley
1/2 Lemon +, Juice
1/3 C Grana Padano, chopped or shredded
1/4 Tsp. + Himalayan Salt
A Pinch Cracked Pepper & Red Pepper Flakes

Directions

PESTO - Start by toasting your pine nuts in a small, dry skillet set to about medium Keep a watchful eye and stir / toss them in the skillet once it's warmed up until they're nice and golden, but not burnt. A couple dark ones are ok! Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the nuts to a small vortex blender. Add everything else listed for the pesto and blend until combined. Add more EVOO if needed for emulsification, and more lemon / salt for taste if you'd like. Set aside.

Warm up the baguette according to package directions. Typically, they're between 400 and 425 for 5 - 8 minutes. Once heated, remove the baguette and cut it in to two, equal sized sandwich baguettes. Cut them open and spread a generous helping of pesto on both sides. Lay some tomato slices on the bottom of each and season the toms with salt & pepper. Lay a few slices of pizza mozzarella on the tomatoes and place both the bottoms of the sammies on a parchment lined baking sheet. Set the oven to broil and return them to the oven until the cheese is nice and melty.
To assemble, simply slap on some delicious pickled hot peppers followed by a drizzle of balsamic reduction, and press the top on. I rolled the sammies in parchment and sliced them to keep them together, but that's not a necessity. Slice them in half and serve em' up! ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Tagliatelle Bolognese

Prep Time: 25 Min
Cook Time: 2+ Hours

Yields: 4 Servings

What You Need

400g Dry Tagliatelle Pasta
1/4 C EVOO
1 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
3 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
A Few Sprigs Fresh Thyme
1 Yellow Onion, diced
2 stalks Celery, diced
1 Orange Bell pepper, diced
1 Carrot, peeled & diced
340g Beyond Meat Beef
1 Small Zucchini, diced
2 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
2 Tbsp. Prepared Red Pesto (store-bought)
1 C White Wine ( I used Pinot Grigio)
2 C Pres. Choice Plant-Based Chik'n Broth
1 C 2% Milk, room temperature
2 Bay Leaves
1/2 Tsp. + Himalayan Salt
Cracked Pepper
1/2 C Grana Padano, finely shredded
GARNISH - Fresh Basil, Grana Padano

Notes

1. President's Choice Plant-Based Chik'n Broth is available in Canada and I'm not sure if it's available elsewhere. Sub your favourite broth and monitor your seasonings!

2. If you cannot access Beyond Meat Beef, sub in your favourite plant-based beef. The Beyond Beef has a distinct, beefy flavour, so if you're subbing for something else, season accordingly if needed.

Directions

Begin heating the EVOO, thyme, garlic, and pepper flakes, in a 12" or larger skillet, set to just about medium heat. Once heated, stir and let everything sizzle together for about a minute without burning. Add the onion, celery, bell pep, carrot, and a generous pinch of both salt & pep. Let the veggies cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Make a well in the center of the pan and drop in the beef. Break it up as it browns in to crumbles before stirring everything together and continuing to cook for a total of about 10 minutes. Add the zucchini and season once again with salt & pep. Stir and cook about 3 minutes before making a well in the center of the pan and dropping in the pesto & tomato paste. Let that sizzle in the center for a minute before stirring it all together and continuing to cook another 2 minutes.

Pour in the wine and let that simmer away until reduced by about 1/2 or more. This will take about 6 - 8 minutes. Pour in the broth & milk and wait for the sauce to come to a boil. Once boiled, add the bay leaves and 1/2 tsp. salt, reduce to a very low simmer, and let that simmer away uncovered for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. You may need to add additional broth throughout this cook time to keep the sauce simmering. It needs to cook for this long to really reinforce those fabulous flavours.
With about 30 minutes left on the sauce, bring a large pot of cold, heavily salted water to a boil. Once boiled, add your tagliatelle and cook to just about al dente.

In the meantime, pluck out the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Once the noodles are perfect, transfer them directly in to the skillet with the sauce from the boiling water. You'll likely bring some welcome pasta water along with you. Begin tossing the pasta with the sauce, continuously tossing to release starches and finish the pasta cooking process in the sauce. Once your pasta is cooked to perfection, turn off the heat, and fold in the grana padano with a ladle of pasta water until the pasta is glossy and perfectly combined. Taste your pasta and adjust your salt / pepper if desired.
Serve each portion with some grana padano and fresh basil. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Brunch Beans

9/14/2024

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Brunch Beans

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

Yields: 2 + Servings

What You Need

2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
1 Tbsp. EVOO
3 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1 Yellow Onion, finely diced
2 Green Onions, sliced & separated light & dark portions
540ml Butter Beans, drained & lightly rinsed
2/3 C White Wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
1/4 C Pres. Choice Plant-Based Chik'n Broth (sub Vegetable)
1 1/2 Tsp. Clubhouse Roasted Pepper & Garlic Seasoning
Small Handful Fresh Basil, torn
2 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
1/2 C Grana Padano, finely shredded
1/2 Lemon
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
SERVE WITH - 2 - 3 Large, Free Range Eggs, Grilled Crostini
GARNISH - Reserved Green Onion, Fresh Parsley, Basil, Grana Padano

N O T E S

* There were enough beans in my opinion for a third egg / serving. However, I only needed 2 and reserved the leftover beans for a work snack.

* If you don't have access to Clubhouse Red Pepper & Garlic, sub your favourite seasoning blend. This dish is fairly adaptable in terms of seasoning.

Directions

Begin heating a 10" skillet on just about medium heat with the butter, EVOO, garlic, and pepper flakes in the skillet. Once heated, let everything sizzle together for about a minute before adding the onion and light portions of the green onions. Season with salt & pep, stir, and let those cook about 6 - 7 minutes without browning. Stir as needed.
Add the butter beans and let them come to the temperature of the skillet. Once the beans are warmed up, pour in the wine and let that start to reduce for a few minutes. Next, pour in the broth and season with salt. Once the skillet starts bubbling away, sprinkle in the fresh basil and clubhouse seasoning, stir, and reduce to a simmer. Let everything simmer together for 8 - 10 minutes until thick and rich. Fold in the grana padano & parsley, squeeze in the juice from the lemon, taste, and adjust salt if needed.

CROSTINI - Heat a grill pan and grill some baguette slices brushed with EVOO on both sides until crisp. I sprinkled them with grana padano prior to grilling for a little extra crisp action and flavour.
EGGS - Heat some EVOO in a small skillet on just about medium. Once heated, crack in the eggs and season with salt, pepper, and pepper flakes. Cook until whites are set and yolk is perfect. Make sure to baste your egg whites with the hot oil to get the whites cooking quickly so that yolk stays runny and perfect.
For service, place the fried eggs on top of the skillet of beans. Grate some grana padano over the dish and sprinkle with the reserved dark green onions, fresh parsley, and some basil if desired. Dunk your crostini right in to the eggs, scooping up some of the yummy beans along with each bite. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Hasselback Rounds

9/11/2024

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Hasselback Rounds

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 35 - 45 Min

Yields: 12 Rounds

What You Need

2 Large Russets, cut in to 1/2" rounds. (12 pieces)
EVOO
Clubhouse Roasted Pepper & Garlic Seasoning
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes
GARNISH - Grana Padano, Fresh Parsley
DIP OPTIONS - Sour Cream, Chipotle Mayo, Basil Aioli

Directions

Preheat your oven to 425 F
Once you've sliced your taters in to rounds, carefully make slices from one end of the potato to the other without actually slicing through the entire potato. You want the rounds to look like accordions. Line a baking sheet with parchment and drizzle it with EVOO. Lay the hasselback rounds on the tray and brush each of them with EVOO. Season each round individually with some of the roasted pepper seasoning, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes.

Bake anywhere from 35 - 45 minutes until golden brown, crisp on the bottom, and tender. Use a fork to test the potato's doneness. The fork should glide right through. Once they're cooked to perfection, remove the tray and set it on to a wire cooling rack. Grate a generous amount of grana padano on each round along with a sprinkle of Himalayan salt and fresh parsley.
Serve on their own or with one of the dip options provided. They'd also be delicious with a gravy depending on what you're serving up for dinner :) ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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R E C I P E S

Roasted Tater Cauli Burrito Bowls

What You Need

Directions

HAPPY VEG

Zucchini Fritters

What You Need

Directions

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Leek & Zucchini​Orecchiette

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Directions

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Quick Tater Tacos

What You Need

Directions

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Cheesy Skillet Shells w Broc & Ritz Crumb

What You Need

Directions

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Blackberry Kiwi Blast

2 Smoothies

Tropical Vibes

2 Smoothies

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Baked Caprese​Baguettes

What You Need

Directions

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Tagliatelle Bolognese

What You Need

Notes

Directions

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Brunch Beans

What You Need

Directions

HAPPY VEG

Hasselback Rounds

What You Need

Directions

HAPPY VEG

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