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Cheesy Jalapeno Cauli Tacos

7/8/2025

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Cheesy Jalapeno Cauli Tacos

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

Yields: 8 Standard Sized Tacos

What You Need

8 x Corn Tortillas
1 Head Cauliflower, broken down in to florets of approximately equal size ( Approx 4 Cups)
4 Tbsp. EVOO
2 Tsp. Tex-Mex Seasoning
1 Tsp. Mexican Chili Powder
1 Tsp. Kashmiri Chili Powder
1 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tsp. Onion Powder
1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 Tsp. Dried Oregano
1.5 C Fiesta Cheddar, shredded (sub any cheddar)
1 C Salt-Free Black beans, rinsed
3 Jalapenos, sliced
4 Green Onions, sliced
1 C Red Cabbage, shredded (you may need less)
Fresh Cilantro
Herdez Guacamole Salsa
Hot Sauce
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper

Notes

I had 8 standard sized corn tortillas. Use whatever you have / like. Street tacos, flour, whatever. Adjust your servings accordingly.

Directions

Preheat your oven to 425 F
Add your florets to a mixing bowl and pour in your EVOO. Toss to coat before sprinkling in the Tex Mex, Mexican Chili, Kashmiri, Garlic & Onion, Pepper Flakes, and Dried Oregano. Toss once again until your florets are nice and coated. Transfer the florets in a single layer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Season the tray liberally with salt & pepper.

Bake your florets for 35 - 40 minutes, flipping a couple of times throughout the cooking process. At this point, your florets should be nice and tender with some charring of the spices. Remove your tray and set it on to a wire cooling rack. Move the florets closer together in the center of the tray and top with your shredded cheese. Sprinkle over the black beans and lay your slices of jalapeno on top. Return to the oven until the cheese is melty.
In the meantime, warm your tortillas either on a grill pan, or by wrapping them in paper towel and microwaving them until they're soft / malleable.
For service, scoop the cheesy cauli mix on to your tortillas followed by a drizzle of the guacamole salsa, some red cabbage, green onions, fresh cilantro, and a few dashes of your favourite hot sauce. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Sausage & Veggie Bake

7/7/2025

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Sausage & Veggie Bake

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 55 + Min

Yields: 2 Servings

What You Need

4 x Beyond Meat Hot Italian Sausages
EVOO
3 Yellow Potatoes
4 cloves Garlic, crushed
1 Yellow Onion, chopped
2 Bell Peppers, chopped
Plant-Based Chik'n Broth
2/3 C White Wine ( I used a local Ontario Pinot Grigio)
Dried Rosemary
Dried Basil
Red Pepper Flakes
Fresh Parsley, chopped
Grana Padano
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper

Directions

Preheat your oven to 425 F
Cut your potatoes in half lengthwise, and then each half three equal times. Get your potatoes in a baking dish large enough to accommodate all of your ingredients. Give the potatoes a generous drizzle of EVOO and season with dried basil, dried rosemary, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Toss to coat the potatoes evenly. Once your oven is preheated, bake your potatoes for about 25 minutes, flipping at least once.
Remove the dish and set on to a wire cooling rack. Add the garlic, onion, and bell pepper. Season again with dried rosemary & basil, a few more dashes of pepper flakes, a good pinch of both salt & pepper, and toss until combined evenly. Add a splash of EVOO if needed to coat everything. Once combined, pour in your wine and a good splash of broth, and then slice your sausages on a diagonal about 4 times and nestle them on top of your veggies.

Return this to the oven for 25 minutes. Check the state of your potatoes and veggies. Give the veggies a stir but keep your sausages on top. Return to the oven in 10 minute increments until veggies are tender and sausages are cooked with a nice crust.
Set your dish on to a cooling rack once again and sprinkle generously with fresh parsley and some finely shredded grana padano.
For service, enjoy the sausages & veggies on their own, or serve this dish up with a side of rice to round things out. Don't worry about the carb on carb action, it worked lol. Garnish your servings generously with grana padano and more fresh parsley. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Mini Red Pesto Hassels

7/5/2025

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Mini Red Pesto Hassels

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 75 Min (approx)

Yields: 4 Taters

What You Need

4 x Medium Sized Yellow Potatoes
1 Tbsp. EVOO
3 cloves Garlic, crushed
1 Shallot, halved

PESTO MIX

3 Tbsp. EVOO
1 Tbsp. Red Pesto
1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 Tsp. Himalayan Salt
Cracked Pepper

GARNISH

Grana Padano
Fresh Parsley, chopped

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 F
If your potatoes are really round, slice a small bit off of one side that will allow them to lay flat for safe slicing. Slice your potatoes from one end to the other, leaving a little space at the ends to keep them secure. Slice as close together as you can and be careful not to slice completely through. I did this without any tips or tricks, but, I've seen people use two wooden spoons on the opposite sides of their potatoes to keep them from being able to slice right through. Once your potatoes are sliced like little accordions, get them on to a parchment lined baking sheet with the sliced sides up and poke the bottoms with a fork a couple of times to ensure they cook through. Arrange your garlic cloves & halved shallot on the tray as well. Brush the potatoes with the Tbsp. EVOO and season each one with salt.
Bake your potatoes for 35 minutes.

Whisk together the EVOO, pesto, pep flakes, salt, and a few good cracks of black pepper. Don't worry if it isn't emulsified together, mine wasn't either.
Get the tray on to a wire cooling rack. Use a basting brush to brush each potato with the pesto oil. Do your best to nestle the brush between your potato slices to make sure the insides get that gorgeous oil / flavour. Return them to the oven for 15 minutes, remove, and rebaste with the oily pesto. Continue another 15, remove, baste again, and use your basting brush / fingers (carefully) to fan out your slices as best you can. Season with with a pinch of salt again and return them to the oven for another 5 - 10 minutes until tender with some nice charring.
Remove and set on to your cooling rack. Season once again with a little pinch of salt. Serve them up with a generous amount of finely shredded grana padano & fresh parsley. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Egg Salad Stuffed Cocktail Tomatoes

7/3/2025

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Egg Salad Stuffed Tomatoes

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 11 Min

Yields: 10 Tomatoes

What You Need

454g Cocktail Tomatoes (10 Tomatoes)
4 Large, Free-Range Eggs
1 Shallot / 1.5 Tbsp., finely diced
1 stalk Celery / 1.5 Tbsp., finely diced
1 Tbsp. Fresh Dill, chopped
1 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
1.5 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
1/2 Tsp. Yellow Mustard
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
Dill for Garnish

Directions

Get your eggs in to a small pot and fill it with enough cold water to cover the eggs about an inch. Set the pot on the burner and bring it to a boil. Once boiled, let them bubble away for 5 minutes. Remove them from the heat and cover for 5 minutes. Strain the hot water and fill the pot with the eggs with cold water. Let them sit a minute or so, strain, and fill with cold water again. Let them sit another few minutes until they're cooled down.
Strain and peel your eggs. Chop the eggs finely and add them to a small mixing bowl. Add all of the other ingredients and season with salt & pepper to taste. Mix until creamy & combined. Set aside.

Slice the tops off your tomatoes and use a teaspoon to carefully scoop the insides of the tomatoes out, cupping the tomato in your opposite hand. Gently scrape the inside wall to get as much flesh out as you can without breaking the tomato. Once they're nice and cleaned out, set them aside and continue until all of your tomatoes are emptied out.
Get a piping bag fitted with the large, open tip attached. Fill the bag with your egg salad and pipe the filling in to your tomatoes. You should have enough to fill all 9 / 10 of the tomatoes. Place your filled tomatoes on a plate and cover them with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes before serving. For service, sprinkle each tomato with a pinch of salt & pepper and top with a little fresh dill. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Quick Sloppy Sliders

7/1/2025

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Quick Sloppy Sliders

Prep Time: 10 Min
Cook Time: 25 Min

Yields: 9 Sliders

What You Need

9 x King's Hawaiian Buttery Slider Buns
425g Sprague Cannery Plant-Based Sloppy Joe Mix
1 1/2 C Fiesta Cheddar Cheese, shredded (sub regular cheddar or marble)
1 Jalapeno, sliced in to at least 9 rings
1 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
1/2 Yellow Onion, finely diced

Directions

Empty your can of sloppy joe mix in to a small, covered pot set to medium low. Stir as needed until bubbly and warmed through.
Preheat your oven to 350 F
Slice your slider buns in half and arrange them in a baking dish large enough to accommodate them, but tight enough that they're next to one another versus being spread out. Slather the sloppy mix all over your slider buns, using it all up and trying to keep a nice, even layer on the sliders. Sprinkle the cheddar all over them followed by a nice layer of your diced onions. Press the tops on your sliders.

Melt the butter in the microwave and brush the melted butter on the tops of your buns. Lay a slice of jalapeno on top of each slider.
Bake the sliders 15 - 18 minutes until golden on top with melty cheese. Remove and set the dish on to a wire cooling rack. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes as the melty cheese is extremely hot.
Serve and ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Gorgeous Summery Caprese Pesto Toast

6/29/2025

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Gorgeous Summery Caprese Pesto Toasts

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 5 Min

Yields: 2 Toasts

What You Need

2 Pieces Sourdough Bread
Unsalted Butter
2 Vine Tomatoes, sliced
1 Ball Fresh Mozzarella Cheese (not pizza mozz), sliced
My Fave Pesto Recipe

www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/my-perfect-pesto-recipe

Balsamic Glaze
Grana Padano
Chili Oil
Red Pepper Flakes
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper

Directions

Prepare the pesto according to the recipe provided. Alternately, you could use store-bought, but when we're doing recipes that rely on simple & fresh ingredients, I'd highly recommend making a fresh batch.
Get your sourdough slices in the toaster and toast them until crisp and golden brown. In my case, I needed to rotate the slices to toast both sides. Alternately, you could use your grill pan! Once your bread is nice and toasty, slather them in butter. Let's assemble.
I assembled the toasts in a checkered / alternating pattern. Once slice juicy tomato, one overlapping slice of fresh mozz. Continue until your slices are completely coated. Season generously with salt, pepper, and pepper flaks. Dollop pesto around the toasts followed by a drizzle of chili oil & balsamic glaze. Finish with finely shredded grana padano & enjoy!
Remaining pesto can be refrigerated for 4 - 5 days. You could also easily add more toasts to this recipe.

HAPPY VEG

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Rustic Rigatoni with Meatballs

6/28/2025

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Rustic Rigatoni with Meatballs

Prep Time: 40 Min
Cook Time: 1 Hour

Yields: 4 + Servings

What You Need

454g Rigatoni Pasta

MEATBALLS

340g Impossible Beef
2 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1/2 Yellow Onion, finely diced
1/4 C Fresh Parsley, chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp. Fresh Basil, rolled and thinly sliced (chiffonade)
2 Tbsp. Italian Breadcrumbs
1 Large, Free-Range Egg
1/4 C Grana Padano, finely shredded
1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 Tsp. Himalayan Salt
Cracked Pepper

SAUCE

3 Tbsp. EVOO
1 Tbsp. Pepperoncini in Chili Oil
4 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
2 Shallots, diced
1 Yellow Onion, diced
2 stalks Celery, diced
1 Carrot, peeled & diced
1 Bell Pepper (not green), diced
2 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
1 C White Wine (I used a local Ontario Pinot Grigio)
796ml San Marzano Tomatoes
1/2 Can Boiling Pasta Water
Handful Fresh Basil, torn
2/3 Tsp. Himalayan Salt +
Cracked Pepper
GARNISH - Grana Padano, Basil

Directions

Bring a large pot of cold, generously salted water to a boil and leave covered.
MEATBALLS - Add everything to a mixing bowl and work together with your hands until combined. Using heaping tablespoon sized scoops, roll the mixture in to meatballs until you've used it all, transferring them to a parchment lined baking sheet. You should have around 15 meatballs of approximately equal size. Cover and refrigerate.

Preheat your oven to 400 F
SAUCE - Begin heating the EVOO, pepperoncini, and garlic, in a large skillet (large enough to accommodate the sauce / noods) set to just about medium. Once heated, let everything sizzle for 30 + seconds before adding the shallot, onion, celery, carrot, and bell pepper. Season generously with salt & pepper, stir, and let those veggies cook 15 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the tomato paste, another good pinch of salt, and continue to cook another couple of minutes. Pour in the wine and let that bubble away until reduced by at least half, about 5 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes and bust them up in the skillet. Fill your can to half with your boiling water, swish it around and pour that in the skillet as well. Bring the sauce to a boil and once boiled, reduce to a simmer and stir in your basil & salt. Cover for 25 minutes.

Uncover your meatballs and let them sit at room temp for 5 ish minutes. Now, get them in to the oven to bake for 12 minutes, flip, and continue another 5 or so until golden on two sides and cooked through.
Once your sauce has cooked for the 25 minutes, remove your cover and stir in your meatballs. At the same time, get your rigatoni in to the boiling water. Add a ladle of the boiling water to your sauce if needed. Taste your sauce and season it taste with salt prior to adding your noodles. Once the rigatoni is al dente, strain it directly in to the skillet with meatballs & sauce. Stir / toss to coat all of the noodles in your sauce, stirring continuously to release starches and get the sauce perfect. Remember, you have pasta water if needed to loosen things up. Once everything is coated beautifully, set the skillet off the heat and cover for 5 minutes.
Serve your portions with a generous amount finely shredded grana padano and fresh basil. ENJOY!
Refrigerate any remaining pasta in an airtight container for 4 days.

HAPPY VEG

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The Canadian Classic - Poutine Vibes

6/15/2025

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Poutine Vibes

Prep Time: 10 Min
Cook Time: 20 - 25 Min

Yields: 2 Poutines

What You Need

650g Bag McCain Jumbo Spicy Crinkles
200g Canadian Cheese Curds
25g Club House Low Sodium Brown Gravy Mix
2 Green Onions, sliced
Himalayan Salt

Notes

For a true Canadian Poutine, it HAS to be cheese curds. Shredded cheese is not a "poutine", rather fries with cheese and gravy. Similar, but not the same.
I always suggest brown gravy because it reads as the most traditional. Make sure to read your ingredients and look for meat based products to ensure you're using a vegetarian gravy. To be safe, you could always use a poutine gravy which is typically veggie friendly.
When it comes to the fries, I LOVE crinkles because they're so crisp outside and so fluffy inside. Alternately, you could swap in whichever fries you'd like. Avoid shoestring if you're baking them because they almost always dry out.

Directions

Preheat your oven according to the bagged fry directions. Get your fries on to a parchment lined baking sheet. Once preheated, bake according to package directions until crispy and golden. Season liberally with salt out of the oven.
With 5 minutes to spare, prepare your gravy according to package directions. I always add a tiny bit more water than what is recommended. Once the gravy has boiled and thickened, turn down the heat and simmer for a couple minutes, whisking as needed.
ASSEMBLY - Divide your crispy fries between two plates and arrange cheese curds around the plates. Drizzle each plate with the hot gravy and top each poutine with some green onions. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Creamy Mushroom Bucatini

6/13/2025

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Creamy Mushroom Bucatini

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 25 Min

Yields: 4 + Servings

What You Need

450g Bucatini Pasta
1/4 C EVOO
2 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1 Yellow Onion, diced
1.5 x 227g Cremini Mushrooms, sliced
1 C White Wine ( I used Pinot Grigio)
400ml Cacio E Pepe Sauce
Pasta Water
1/4 C Fresh Parsley, chopped
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
GARNISH - Grana Padano, Fresh Parsley

Directions

Bring a large pot of cold, generously salted water to a boil. Leave covered.
Begin heating the EVOO, garlic, and pepper flakes, in a large skillet set to just about medium. Once heated, let everything sizzle together for about a minute before adding the onion and a good pinch of both salt & pepper. Stir and let the onions cook for about 5 minutes. Watch for browning and reduce your heat slightly if needed. After the 5 minutes, dump in all of your cremini mushrooms along with a generous hit of both salt & pepper. Stir and let the mushrooms cook down for 7 - 10 minutes until they've got some nice caramelized colour. Also, don't worry about any brown bits on the bottom of the skillet, our wine will remove that!
Once your mushrooms have cooked down, pour in your wine and at the same time, add your bucatini to the boiling water. Season your skillet with another good pinch of both salt & pepper and let the wine bubble away for about 4 minutes or so until reduced by around half. At this point, pour in your Cacio sauce, add a ladle of hot water to the jar, swish it around, and add that to your skillet as well. Stir to combine everything.

Once the sauce starts bubbling away, reduce your heat slightly and let the sauce simmer until your pasta is almost al dente. Add a ladle of pasta water to keep it simmering and smooth. Once your pasta is about 1 minute away from al dente perfection, strain it directly in to your creamy mushroom sauce. Toss to combine in the skillet and continue tossing as it bubbles away until the sauce is nice and creamy and pasta is cooked perfectly. Turn off the heat and fold in the parsley. Taste and adjust your salt / pepper if needed / desired. Set aside for 5 minutes.
Serve your portions garnished with fresh parsley and heaps of grana padano. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Cheesy Broccoli Baguettes

6/11/2025

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Cheesy Broccoli Baguettes

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 30 Min

Yields: 4 Pieces

What You Need

400g Fresh Parisian Baguette
1 C Extra Old White Cheddar, shredded
1/3 C Grana Padano, shredded
1 clove Garlic, peeled & gently crushed
1 Head Broccoli, chopped in to florets of approximately equal size
EVOO
Himalayan Salt
Red Pepper Flakes
1 Lemon, cut in to wedges
2 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
Ranch Dressing

Directions

Preheat your oven to 425 F. Add your florets to a mixing bowl and drizzle in a couple tablespoons of EVOO. Season to taste with salt and pepper flakes & toss to combine. Transfer the broccoli to a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer.
Bake your broccoli 15 minutes, flip, and continue 10 + minutes until tender with some charred bits. Use a spatula to smash the broccoli down on the tray, flattening it out a bit.

With a couple minutes to spare before the broccoli finishes, get a grill pan heating on about medium heat. Cut two x 5" pieces of your baguette and cut them in half leaving you with 4 x 5" open faced baguettes. Drizzle the open parts of your baguettes with EVOO and slap them on the grill. Grill until golden brown with gorgeous grill marks, working in batches depending on the size of your pan. Once all 4 of your baguettes are grilled and gorgeous, rub them down with your garlic clove.
Remove the parchment / broccoli from the tray and give it a wipe if needed. Cover the tray with a new piece of parchment and get your baguettes open side up on the tray. Top each one with a sprinkle of cheddar. Divide your smashed, roasted broccoli between the 4 baguettes. Top each baguette with shredded cheddar and shredded grana padano.
Switch your oven to BROIl HIGH and once heated, add your tray of baguettes. Broil until cheese is melty, keep an eye so they don't scorch. Once melted, carefully remove the tray to a wire cooling rack. Give each baguette a squeeze of lemon and top each one with a sprinkle of parsley.
Originally, I ate them alone and thought huh, these are super good and super savoury...but what if I drizzled them with a little Ranch? Game changer. The ranch was just what they needed. ENJOY you guys <3

HAPPY VEG

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