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As the colder temperatures approach, leafy main course salads lose their appeal and heartier salads become more appropriate. Potato salad is one of those salads that has a year round appeal in my opinion. Potatoes are hearty and filling and pair well with all sorts of ingredients / flavours making them perfect in every kind of salad. I've whipped up a delicious Mediterranean inspired potato salad that hits all the right notes. It has an abundance of hearty potatoes along with cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and salty feta cheese. A quick and refreshing vinaigrette is the final piece of the puzzle for this salad. It's seriously delicious and simple to make. **Remember, waxy potatoes (Reds, Minis) are much better for salads than their starchy counterparts (Russets). Waxy potatoes hold their shape once cooked much better so keep that in mind when shopping for potatoes. Head on over to the RECIPES tab for more! HAPPY VEG This dish has "warm and comforting" written all over it.
There's something about curry that always gets my stomach excited. I love the warm flavours and the aroma is one of my favourites! I've taken fresh carrot and cauliflower and sauteed them with a blend of curry inspired flavours that are so delicious. I decided to serve this curry over a bowl of pot barley which provides a wonderful texture and chew to the dish. Not a fan of barley? You can also use your favourite grain or brown rice would work as well. Once that delicious curry is ladled over the barley it just looks divine and so inviting. I was barely able to contain myself when it came time to eat! Get on over to the RECIPES tab y'all! HAPPY VEG MEDITERRANEAN POTATO SALAD I can't tell you all enough about my love for potatoes. They are just so darned delicious no matter how you prepare them. They're neutrally flavoured meaning they pair beautifully with all ingredients and flavours. On that note, here's my Mediterranean twist on a traditional potato salad. We've got cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, feta, and olives tossed together in a delicious lemony vinaigrette that really brings everything together. It's got crisp veggies, tender potatoes, and a lots of flavour, what's not to love? CAULIFLOWER & CARROT CURRY
over pot barley. Barley has to be one of my absolute favourite grains. It doesn't require an overnight soak (unlike a lot of other dried beans & grains) , it takes a measly 30 minutes to prepare, and offers a unique, chewy texture that is so enjoyable. I've sauteed some cauliflower and carrots seasoned with curry as the inspiration. Warm, inviting, and so flavourful. Don't like barley? No worries, brown rice is a tasty substitute! I still remember the moment I decided to be a vegetarian. I was sitting in my grade 10 marketing class and for whatever reason, one of the presentations involved seeing inside a slaughterhouse. What a horrifying thing to witness. Seeing all of the animals squirming and full of fear, it was such a defining moment. I decided from that moment on that I was going to make a conscious effort to cut meat from my diet.
Every vegetarian / vegan has their own motives for making the switch to a meat free lifestyle. Originally, I assumed every vegetarian / vegan had the same motivation for ditching meat from their diets. I assumed every one of us was in it for the animals and their well being. It was our way of protesting a torturous, despicable industry by abstaining from meat. This is not always the case. As you all know, I am currently employed in the kitchen of a Vegan restaurant which has been a fantastic learning experience. I've met a fabulous group of people and enjoy being there every day. I've also discovered through working there that despite all being vegan / vegetarian, our motives are all different. Some of the girls choose this lifestyle for the health benefits. Their health is their motivation for engaging in this lifestyle and perhaps animal welfare might fall a little lower on the importance list. The end result is the same as mine despite both getting there for different reasons. I find it interesting that there can be so many different reasons for becoming a vegetarian / vegan. I do know however that the reason has to be important enough to us as people to stick with the diet. I've known a few people whose motivation was health or weight and they eventually found themselves back in the arms of a steak because they were not passionate about the lifestyle. We have to be passionate about our reasoning otherwise it is too easy to fall back in to old patterns. I have been a vegetarian for almost 14 years now and I can confidently say that my love for animals and desire to see them treated better will always be my motivation. I could never go back to meat after all of the years I have fought for animal rights. I could never turn my back on their suffering for my own gluttony. People do not NEED meat, we are trained to think that meat is great and meat is required but it's all to boost sales for these industries. No animal deserves to be slaughtered because we are hungry. We have access to an abundance of fruit, vegetables, and grains that can nourish and provide necessary nutrients. The "need" for meat is an illusion, something ingrained in us as children to keep us consuming these products but there truly is no need. Whatever our reasons are for becoming vegetarian / vegan are irrelevant. For every one of us that quits meat, animals live. For every one of us that quits meat, the meat industry takes a hit. For every one of us that quits meat, our health improves. As long as you are passionate, regardless of your motivation, you will succeed. My passion for animals motivates me every day. What motivates you in being a vegan / vegetarian ? Comment, Tweet, or FB me! HAPPY VEG I absolutely love this recipe! It's super simple and all of the flavours work well with one another. Old El Paso Tortilla Bowls are the perfect vessel for stuffing because unlike taco shells, they are free standing and have much more space available for stuffing! The first layer of this dish is some delicious seasoned black beans. They are perfectly seasoned, rich, and flavourful. I've paired them with a simple and fresh corn salsa that works to cut the richness by adding a pop of freshness. I've finished the dish off with some creamy sliced avo and few dashes of hot sauce to spice things up! The combination is quite delicious and the flavours certainly make your mouth happy. Head on over to the recipes tab for more! HAPPY VEG Having had the weekend off I was able to spend some quality time in the kitchen. Working two jobs, I struggle to find the time to maintain my recipe testing along with everything else and for the first time since I started this blog, I am running low on written recipes in need of testing. It was definitely a much needed time in the kitchen and I was able to get a few things done.
Also, I was able to write out a few ideas that I can't wait to test this upcoming week. Here's a sneak peek!
What do you think of what's coming up? I hope these ideas really speak to you and get you salivating a little. Make sure to visit the blog often to see the newest recipe posts! HAPPY VEG This is such a fun and simple idea, it's got to be one of my new favourite things. Zucchini slices are the perfect appetizer size for these little pizzas and they take no time at all the bake up. I've got one thing for y'all to keep in mind when shopping for zucchinis. In most cases, smaller sized zucchinis are best because they are at their prime and have their best flavour. Larger ones lose flavour as they continue to grow. In this case however, the larger ones work best simply because they are larger. More surface area for sauce, cheese, and toppings. :) Head on over to the RECIPES tab! HAPPY VEG ZUCCHINI PIZZAS I remember seeing this idea online and immediately jotting down, "Zucchini Pizza". It sounded like absolute perfection. All of the things I love about pizza on a far less carb heavy and fattening vessel. Zucchini slices roasted and topped with pizza sauce, melty mozzarella, onion, and bell pepper for a healthy pizza experience to satisfy those cravings! Black Bean Tortilla Bowls
I love these Old El Paso Tortilla Bowls. They are the perfect size for stuffing and because they are free standing you can enjoy them with a fork and knife if you want to stuff them to their max! I've seasoned and cooked black beans and prepared a simple, corn salsa to cut the richness of the beans and cheese. Make sure you have a bottle of your favourite hot sauce handy for this dish! Want some Hot Sauce inspiration? http://happyveggie.weebly.com/in-search-of-the-best-hot-sauce |
Hey everyone, Jonathan here and I'm the Happy Veg! I love creating vegetarian recipes that everyone can enjoy, whether you're going vegetarian for the first time, or giving meatless Monday a go! Thanks for visiting the blog and have a great day xo
--Jonathan Archives
April 2024
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