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Impossible Meatball Marinara Sliders

11/29/2021

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Impossible Meatball Marinara Sliders

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

Yields: 8 Sliders

WHAT YOU NEED

8 Brioche Slider Buns
1 C Pizza Mozzarella, shredded
1/4 C EVOO
1/2 Tsp. Italian Seasoning
1/4 Tsp. Red pepper Flakes
1/2 Tsp. Garlic Powder
2 Tbsp. Grana Padano, grated
1 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped

MEATBALLS

340g Impossible Beef
1 clove Garlic, crushed & minced
1/2 Yellow Onion, finely diced
2 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
1/4 C Cooked Brown Rice
1/2 Tsp. Dried Basil
1/4 Tsp. Sea Salt
Cracked Pepper to taste

SAUCE

1/4 C EVOO
2 Yellow Onions, chopped
1 Carrot, peeled & chopped
4 cloves Garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
796ml can Whole Tomatoes
Handful Fresh Parsley, including stems
1 Tsp. Dried Basil
1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 Tsp. Sugar
1/2 Tsp. Sea Salt

DIRECTIONS

SAUCE - Begin heating the EVOO, garlic, and pepper flakes in a medium sized sauce pot set to medium heat. Once heated, let the garlic sizzle for a minute or so before adding the onions, carrot, and a generous pinch of sea salt. Stir and cook 6 - 7 minutes before stirring in the tomato paste. Continue to cook another 2 minutes before pouring in the whole tomatoes. Smash up the tomatoes a little bit and let that come to a boil. Once boiled, add the basil, fresh parsley, sugar, and sea salt. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Taste and adjust salt if desired. Leave covered on low until assembly.
MEATBALLS - Preheat oven to 400 F. Mix everything together in a medium sized bowl until combined. Take about 2 heaping Tbsp. of the mixture and roll it into a ball shape, placing it on a parchment lined baking sheet. Continue until all 8 meatballs are formed. Bake for 12 minutes, flip, and continue baking for about 10 minutes until fully cooked. Remove the meatballs from the oven and set aside.
ASSEMBLY - Reduce oven to 350 F. Nestle the bottom half of the buns together in a baking dish. Spoon a little sauce on the center of each bun. Place a cooked meatball on the bun followed by another couple spoons of the tomato sauce. Blanket the meatballs in shredded pizza mozzarella and place the tops on, gently pushing them down so that they stay on. In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/4 C EVOO, dried basil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, grana padano, and pepper flakes. Brush this liberally on the tops of all of the buns making sure to scoop up the herbs / cheese along with the oil. Once they're all brushed and glossy, sprinkle them with sea salt and place them in to the oven to bake. Bake at 350 F for 15 - 20 minutes until cheese is melty and buns are nice and toasty. Serve with additional tomato sauce for dipping. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Buffalo Chik'n Mac & Cheese

11/26/2021

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Buffalo Chik'n Mac & Cheese

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

Yields: 6 + Servings

WHAT YOU NEED

300g SOL Cuisine Chik'n Bites
3 C Dry Lumaconi Noodles (Sub 2 11/2 - 3 C Dry Macaroni if Needed)
1 1/3 C Whipping Cream
3 Large Free-Range Eggs
1/4 C Unsalted Butter, melted & at room temp
1 C Red Leicester, shredded
1 C Pizza Mozzarella, shredded
1 C Monterey Jack, shredded
1 Tsp. Dry Mustard
1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
3/4 Tsp. Sea Salt

BUFFALO SAUCE

1/4 C Unsalted Butter
1/2 C Valentina Hot Sauce ( I prefer Mexican sauce, feel free to sub Franks Buffalo or your fave)
Pinch of Sea Salt

GARNISHES

Chipotle Mayo
2 Avocados, sliced
Green Onions, sliced
1/2 Red Onion, diced
Sour Cream

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 F
Whisk together the cream, eggs, room temp butter, garlic powder, mustard powder, and sea salt. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of cold, salted water to a boil and cook noodles a minute less than al dente according to package directions. Turn off the burner, strain the noodles, and return the noodles back to the pot on to the burner that is now off. Pour in the cream mixture and stir to combine before folding in all 3 cheeses, reserving a generous handful for the top. Once combined, pour the mac in to a greased 9 x 13" dish. Tap it off the counter a few times to settle everything. Top with remaining cheese.
Empty the chik'n bites on to a baking sheet and place both the bites and the mac and cheese into the oven.

Bake the mac and cheese for 35 - 40 minutes until golden on top. Bake the chik'n bites until nice and golden brown and cooked through. Turn off the oven and prepare the buffalo sauce.
Melt together the butter and hot sauce in a small sauce pot set to medium low. Let it simmer for a few minutes before adding a pinch of sea salt, whisking, and dropping in the chik'n bites. Toss the bites in the sauce until coated entirely.
For service, serve up a slice of the mac and cheese and top with a couple saucy bites. Garnish with sliced avo, diced red and green onions, sour cream, chipotle mayo, and an additional buffalo sauce drizzle. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Rigatoni Pie

11/24/2021

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Rigatoni Pie

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 40ish Min

Yields: 6 Slices

WHAT YOU NEED

454g Dry Rigatoni Pasta
2 C Prepared Pasta Sauce
1 C Pizza Mozzarella, shredded
1 C Grana Padano, grated
1/3 C + Ricotta Cheese
1 Tsp. Dried Basil
EVOO
Fresh Parsley, garnish

DIRECTIONS

Heat a large pot of cold, salted water on medium high heat until boiled. Add the rigatoni and cook to al dente according to package directions. Strain the noodles and let them air dry for a few minutes. Add the noodles to a bowl and toss them with half of the grana padano, a drizzle of EVOO, the dried basil, and a pinch of sea salt. Stir until noodles are coated.
Preheat oven to 400 F
Arrange the rigatoni upright in a clockwise pattern around the springform pan, working your way towards the middle until the entire base of the pan is covered. Wedge additional noodles in to make sure it's nice and tight.

Pour about 1 C of the prepared sauce over the noodles and spread to coat. Next, dollop the ricotta around the pan and carefully spread it as best you can. Finish with up to another cup of sauce, spreading it to coat the entire dish.
Place the springform pan on a baking sheet in case of any leakage.
Bake for 15 minutes and remove from the oven. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and remaining grana padano and return to the oven to bake for 15 - 20 minutes until golden and melty.
Remove and set the pan on to a wire cooling rack for about 10 minutes before releasing the pie from the pan. Allow it cool for another 5 - 10 minutes before slicing in to.
Garnish each slice with fresh parsley and additional grana padano cheese. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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4 Cheese & Kale Lasagna with Roasted Pepper Sauce

11/20/2021

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4 Cheese & Kale Lasagna with Roasted pepper Sauce

Prep Time:
Cook Time:

Serves: 8 Slices

WHAT YOU NEED

2 x 500g Lasagna Noodles
1 Bunch Green Kale, stems removed & chopped
2 C Pizza Mozzarella, shredded
Grana Padano - Garnish
Fresh Parsley - Garnish

FILLING

475g Ricotta
500g Cottage Cheese
1/2 C Pizza Mozz, shredded
1/4 C Grana Padano, grated
1/4 C Fresh parsley, chopped
20g Fresh basil, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, crushed & pressed / minced
Zest of 1 Lemon
1 Tsp. Sea Salt
2 Large Free-Range Eggs, beaten

SAUCE

2 Tbsp. EVOO
2 Tbsp. Chili Oil
1 Yellow Onion, chopped
2 stalks Celery, diced
1 Large Carrot, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
796ml Whole San Marzano Tomatoes
370ml Roasted Red Peppers + 1/4 C Pepper Liquid
28g Fresh Basil
1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 Tsp. + Sea Salt

DIRECTIONS

FILLING - Drain excess liquid from cottage cheese / ricotta and add to a mixing bowl. Fold together every other ingredient except for the eggs and taste. Adjust salt if desired. Stir in eggs, cover, and refrigerate until needed.
SAUCE - Begin heating the EVOO, chili oil, crushed garlic, and pepper flakes in a medium sized sauce pot set to medium heat. Once heated, let the garlic sizzle for a minute before adding in the onion, celery, carrot, and a good pinch of sea salt. Stir and cook for 5 - 7 minutes until veggies are almost tender. Stir in the tomato paste and continue cooking for another 2 minutes. Add the san marzano tomatoes & fill the can 3/4 of the way with cold water. Swish it around and add it to the pot along with the peppers and pepper liquid.

Once the sauce comes to a boil, add the basil including the stems and 1/2 tsp. sea salt. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Taste and adjust salt if desired.
KALE - Heat a deep frying pan set to just below medium heat and add your washed and chopped kale. Drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle generously with sea salt. Cover and cook until kale has wilted and cooked down. Remove from heat and set aside.
NOODLES - In a 9 x 14 dish, you'll need approximately 9 noodles per layer which equates to just over one box. I suggest cooking 1 and a half boxes in case of sticking together or breaking during cooking. Cook the noodles until al dente, strain and lay out the noodles (overlapping is ok) so that they remain flat.
PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 F
Spray a 9 x 14 baking dish with cooking spray. Ladle sauce into the bottom of the dish and tilt the dish to coat the entire bottom. Lay your 8 noodles to form a bottom layer and cut one noodle in half to fill the gap at the edge of the pan. Spoon 1/3 of the filling over the noodles and spread it to coat the entire layer. Dollop sauce across the layer, spread 1/3 of the kale, and sprinkle with 1/3 c mozzarella. Repeat with another 2 layers finishing with a 4th layer of noodles. Ladle sauce over the entire top layer, spreading to coat it entirely. Reserve remaining sauce for service.
Cover the lasagna and bake for one hour. Remove cover and sprinkle with remaining 1 C mozzarella and some grated grana padano. Return it to the oven and continue to bake for 15 - 20 minutes until cheese is melted. I suggest switching to BROIL 500F for a couple minutes for some golden browning action.
Remove from oven and set on to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Cut into 8 equal sized slices. Serve each slice with reserved sauce, fresh parsley, and grana padano cheese. ENJOY!

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Smoky Cabbage Soup

11/17/2021

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Smoky Cabbage Soup

Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 1 Hr +

Yields: 5+ Servings

WHAT YOU NEED

1/4 C EVOO
2 C Dry Brown Rice
1 Yellow Onion, diced
2 stalks Celery, diced
2 Carrots, sliced in to rounds
4 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
2 Large Russets, peeled & cubed
1 Head Green Cabbage, chopped (anywhere from 7 - 8 C approx)
1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
1 C White Wine
796ml Fire Roasted Tomatoes
1 L PC Brand Plant-Based Chicken Broth
2 C Water
540ml can White Beans, drained and lightly rinsed
1/4 C Parsley, chopped
1 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Tsp. Onion Powder
2 Tsp. Italian Seasoning
1 1/2 Tbsp. Smoked Paprika
2 Bay Leaves
1 1/2 Tsp. Sea Salt
Cracked Pepper

DIRECTIONS

Prepare the brown rice according to package directions. Fluff, set aside, and keep covered until service.
Begin heating the EVOO in a large sauce pot set to medium heat. Drop in the garlic and pepper flakes and let that come to temperature with the EVOO. Once hetaed, let the garlic and flakes sizzle for about a minute before adding in the onion, carrot, celery, 1 Tsp. Italian seasoning, and a good pinch of sea salt & cracked pepper. Stir and cook 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, season again with sea salt and pepper, stir, and cover for 5 more minutes. Add the cabbage and season once again with salt & pep, cover, and cook 6 - 7 minutes until cabbage has cooked down a little.

Stir in the tomato paste and let that cook for a minute before pouring in the white wine. Let the wine sizzle and reduce before adding the plant-based chicken broth, fire roasted toms, and 1 C water. Use the remaining cup of water to rinse out the can of tomatoes before pouring that in as well. Let the cabbage soup come to a boil and once boiled, add the white beans, garlic & onion powder, remaining Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, bay leaves, and 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt. Cover, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 40 - 45 minutes until cabbage is tender.
Taste and adjust salt / pepper if desired. Pluck out the bay leaves and stir in the fresh parsley. Scoop desired amount of cooked brown rice into serving bowl before ladling cabbage soup over rice and serving. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Ma's B Bread

11/14/2021

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Ma's B Bread

Prep Time: 10 Min
Cook Time: 55 - 60 Min

WHAT YOU NEED

1 C Brown Sugar
1/4 C Unsalted Butter, room temp
2 Large Eggs, beaten
4 Overripe Bananas, mashed
1 1/2 C AP Flour
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Sea Salt

That was all she used. I swapped white sugar for brown and swapped out margarine for butter. Everything else is identical. I also happened to have some open bag of rando goodies so I also added;

1/2 C Dark Chocolate Chunks
1/2 C Peanut Butter Chips
1/2 C Walnut Pieces

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 F
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
In another bowl, cream together the butter & sugar. Add the eggs and beat until combined. Add the mashed bananas and once again beta until combined.
Use a rubber spatula to fold in 1/3 of the flour mixture until combined. Continue until all flour is added and everything is just barely combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks, peanut butter chips, and walnuts until incorporated.
Spray the inside of a standard loaf pan with cooking spray and add the banana bread mixture. Tap off a hard surface to settle the batter and spread to vene things out if needed.
Bake for 55 - 60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Remove from oven and set onto a wire cooling rack for about 5 - 10 minutes until you can flip the loaf out. Continue to cool another 5 - 10 minutes before slicing in to. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Sausage & Pepper Calzones

11/11/2021

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Sausage & Pepper Calzones

Prep Time: 25 Min
Cook Time: 25 Min

Yields: 4 Calzones

WHAT YOU NEED

737g Frozen Pizza Dough, thawed to room temp
1 Red Onion, halved & sliced
1 Bell Pepper, cut into thin strips
2 Beyond Meat Hot Italian Sausages (Or your fav plant-based sausage)
2 C Pizza Mozzarella, shredded
227g Button Mushrooms, sliced
Pizza Sauce (See recipe link below)
joyfoodsunshine.com/easy-homemade-pizza-sauce-recipe/
1 Large Egg
Grana Padano
Italian Seasoning

NOTES: I also tried the calzones with diced peppers and onions. I preferred the strips but you could totally dice up your veg instead!
Also, fry up additional sausages if you're looking for a "meat lovers" style. I was happy with just 3 - 4 pieces each!

DIRECTIONS

Begin heating a medium sized skillet set to medium heat. Add the sausages to the pan and fry them on each side for a couple of minutes until nice and brown. Remove the sausages and place them on a paper towel lined plate. Add a drizzle of EVOO & the sliced mushrooms to the pan, and season them with sea salt. Cook until they are nice and brown and liquid has cooked out. Remove pan from heat and transfer mushrooms to a bowl until assembly.
Preheat oven to 425 F
Flour a work surface as well as your hands and drop the dough on to the surface. Cut the dough in to 4 equal sized portions. Take a rolling pin and roll out each portion to approximately 1/4" thick ( a little thicker is fine). Add more flour to the pin / surface as needed to keep the dough from sticking.

Start by spooning some of the prepared pizza sauce on on side of the calzones. Next, add about 1/2 C of the pizza mozzarella followed by slicing the sausages and adding 3 - 4 slices to each calzone. Top with sliced onions, peppers, and cooked mushrooms. Fold the opposite side of the dough over the fillings to meet the opposite edge. Use a pizza cutter to trim excess dough and then take a fork and press it along the edge to crimp / seal the calzones.
Refrigerate any remaining toppings / pizza sauce.
Transfer the calzones to a parchment lined baking sheet. Give them each a slit or two on the top to allow steam to escape while cooking.
Whisk together the egg and a splash of cold water, and brush each of the calzones with the egg wash. Sprinkle each one with Italian Seasoning and grate grana padano over each calzone.
Bake for 15ish minutes until gloriously golden brown and fully cooked. Remove from oven and set on to a wire cooling rack.
Serve with reserved pizza sauce and ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Cottage Pie <3

11/8/2021

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Cottage Pie

Prep Time: 25 Min
Cook Time:

Yields: 6 + Servings

POTATOES

4 Large Russets, peeled & cut in to quarters
4 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
3/4 - 1 C 2% Milk
1 C Grana Padano Cheese, shredded
1/4 Tsp. Nutmeg
1 Tsp. Sea Salt
Cracked Pepper to Taste

WHAT YOU NEED

FILLING

340g Beyond Beef
340g YVES Veggie Ground
3 Tbsp. EVOO
2 Yellow Onions, diced
3 stalks Celery, diced
1 Carrot, peeled & diced
3 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
3/4 C Red Wine
3 Tbsp. AP Flour
800ml PC Brand Plant-Based Beef Broth
4 sprigs Fresh Thyme
3 Sprigs Fresh Savoury
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp. Browning Sauce
1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Tsp. Onion Powder
1/2 Tsp. Red pepper Flakes
1 Tsp. Vegeta Seasoning
2 Bay Leaves
Sea Salt

DIRECTIONS

Heat a large frying pan to medium heat and add in the BEYOND beef. break it apart in to crumbles as it cooks and browns for about 5 - 7 minutes. Remove the beef from the pan and add in the EVOO. Once heated, add the onion, celery, carrot, and pepper flakes. Season with sea salt & pepper, stir, and cook for 5 minutes. Make a well and drop in the garlic. Let that sizzle for about a minute before stirring everything together with the tomato paste. Let that cook another 2 minutes before returning the beyond beef back to the pan along with the YVES veggie crumbles. Cook until the YVES is warmed through.
Sprinkle in the flour and stir until everything is coated, letting it cook another minute or two to cook out any raw flavour. Pour in the red wine and let that bubble away until almost entirely reduced. Now, add in the Worcestershire sauce, browning sauce, and pour in the broth. bring the meaty mix to a boil and once boiled, reduce heat to medium low. Stir in the garlic & onion powder, vegeta, bay leaves, and drop in the sprigs of thyme & savoury. Simmer uncovered for 35+ minutes until liquid is almost entirely reduced and everything is rich & tender. Taste and adjust salt if desired. Pluck out the bay leaves as well as the sprigs of savoury & thyme.
In the meantime, add the potatoes to a large pot of cold, salted water and bring to a boil. Once boiled, reduce heat slightly and cook until potatoes are tender. (15 - 20 min) Strain and return the potatoes to the pan. Start mashing before adding in the butter, milk, cheese, nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste. Mash until desired consistency is achieved. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 F
To assemble, spray the inside of a large, circular baking dish (About 3 to 3 1/2 qt.) with cooking spray. Spread the meat mixture to form an even layer in the baking dish. Next, spread your potatoes over the meat to coat everything entirely. Sprinkle with additional grana padano if desired.
Bake 35 - 40 minutes until heated thoroughly. If desired, switch the oven to BROIL 500 F for a couple mins at most to get some additional browning on the potatoes.
Set on to a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes prior to serving. Garnish with additional savoury and fresh thyme. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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White Bean, Potato, & Kale SOup

11/5/2021

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Potato, Kale, & White Bean Soup

Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 35 - 40 Min

Yields: 6 + Servings

WHAT YOU NEED

1/4 C EVOO
1 Yellow Onion, diced
2 stalks Celery, diced
2 Carrots, peeled & sliced into rounds
4 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
6 sprigs Fresh Thyme
4 Sprigs Fresh Savoury
540ml can White Beans, drained & lightly rinsed
2 Large Russets, peeled & cubed
1 L PC Brand Plant-Based Chicken Broth
2 C Cold Water
1/4 C Fresh Parsley, chopped
1 Hard Cheese Rind
1 Bunch Kale, chopped (about 4ish Cups)
1 Lemon
1 Bay Leaf
1 Tsp. Onion Powder
1 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 Tsp. + Sea Salt
Grana Padano - Garnish

DIRECTIONS

Begin heating the EVOO, garlic, and pepper flakes, in a large pot set to medium heat. Once heated, let that garlic sizzle for about 30 seconds before adding half the thyme and savoury sprigs to the hot oil. (Be careful, they might pop a little). Stir and let the herbs sizzle for another 30 seconds before adding in the onion, celery, carrot, and a generous pinch of sea salt. Stir and cook for 5 mins. Add the cubed potatoes and another generous pinch of sea salt, cover, and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
Remove cover and add the plant-based chicken broth, water, and hard cheese rind. Once the soup comes to a boil, add the lightly rinsed white beans, onion powder, bay leaf, and 1/2 tsp. sea salt. Stir, cover, and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer 20 - 25 minutes until potatoes are nice and tender.

Add the kale along with another pinch of sea salt. Cover until kale has wilted, about 5 minutes.
Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon. Taste and add the other half of the lemon if desired as well as additional salt. Pluck out the sprigs, bay leaf, and cheese rind, prior to service and stir in the fresh parsley.
Serve garnished with additional parsley and some fresh grana padano. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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R E C I P E S

Impossible Meatball Marinara Sliders

WHAT YOU NEED

DIRECTIONS

HAPPY VEG

Buffalo Chik'n Mac & Cheese

WHAT YOU NEED

DIRECTIONS

HAPPY VEG

Rigatoni Pie

WHAT YOU NEED

DIRECTIONS

HAPPY VEG

4 Cheese & Kale Lasagna with Roasted Pepper Sauce

WHAT YOU NEED

DIRECTIONS

Smoky Cabbage Soup

WHAT YOU NEED

DIRECTIONS

HAPPY VEG

Ma's B Bread

WHAT YOU NEED

DIRECTIONS

HAPPY VEG

Sausage & Pepper Calzones

WHAT YOU NEED

DIRECTIONS

HAPPY VEG

Cottage Pie <3

WHAT YOU NEED

DIRECTIONS

HAPPY VEG

White Bean, Potato, & Kale SOup

WHAT YOU NEED

DIRECTIONS

HAPPY VEG

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