Happy Pie Day!!

It’s PIE DAY! Aka 3.14! I love a good, filling, and tasty pie! I'm not one for sweet pies, but I do love me some quiche and savory pies.

I’ve got a healthy, plant-based version of a classic savory pie for ya today: Shepherd’s Pie!

The big swaps here are green lentils standing in for ground beef and cauliflower for the potatoes. A traditional meat and potatoes style Shepherd’s Pie has about 400 calories per serving, whereas this recipe is just over 250 calories! And between the veggies and the lentils, one serving has almost half your daily fiber needs.

Healthy Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

Filling:

2 small onions or 1 large, chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 large carrots, diced

2 tbsp. tomato puree

1 cup (135g) frozen peas

¾ cups (135g) dried green lentils

1 tbsp. olive oil

½-¾ tsp. salt

⅛ tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. fresh thyme

1 tsp. fresh rosemary

2 cups (480ml) vegetable stock

Potato topping:

1 medium head of cauliflower, diced

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

½ tsp. freshly thyme, chopped

3-4 tbsp. vegetable stock

½ tsp. salt & pinch of pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

2. Meanwhile, prepare all the vegetables and herbs and set aside.

3. Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into an ovenproof frying pan. Place over medium heat and sauté the onions for 2 minutes. Add in the rosemary, thyme, carrots, and garlic. Sauté for a further 30 seconds and add the tomato puree and sauté for another 30 seconds. Deglaze the pan by adding 2 tablespoons of vegetable stock and stir well.

4. Pour balsamic vinegar, 2 cups vegetable stock, and the green lentils (rinsed and drained) into the pan. Bring to the boil, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the lid, add in the garden peas and let simmer for further 10 minutes, uncovered until mixture has thickened and the lentils are soft.

5. Meanwhile, place the cauliflower into a steamer basket and steam for 20 minutes or until soft. Remove the cauliflower, drain the water and place cauliflower back into the pan. Add in the oil, vegetable stock, salt, pepper, garlic, and fresh thyme. Mash until smooth. Set aside.

6. Once the lentil and vegetable filling has thickened, top with the mashed cauliflower. Spread the cauliflower evenly over the lentils and place the pan in the oven on the top oven rack. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the top has turned golden brown.

Nutrition:

Serving size: 1/6th | Calories: 252 | Fat: 6.9g | Protein: 10.4g | Carbs: 37.6g | Total Sugars: 12g | Fiber: 15.5g