Lentil Shepherd's Pie

Lentil Shepherd's Pie

Fall is here and it's time for stews and casseroles and warming yummy food.  I made us a huge lentil shepherd's pie the other day and it fed us for days. 

Lentil Shepherd's Pie Recipe

2 - 3 cups of lentils (or  2 or 3 cans of pre-cooked)

5 - 6 baker potatoes or a whole bunch of little red or yellow pots 

(with skin, that's where the fiber is, folks!)

onion

carrots

garlic

kale or greens of some type

Big can of roasted chopped toms or a couple cups of fresh chopped toms

tomato paste

green peas (fresh or frozen)

cooking oil

soy or almond milk

Italian Herb or Herbs de Provence

Salt and Pepper

This recipe is not an exact science.  I make this casserole a bit differently each time.  Sometimes I add more vegetables like broccoli or fresh parsley.  You can be very creative.  The great thing about a casserole like this is it can be stuffed full of vegetables and we all know that vegetables are where it's at!  Full of micro and phytonutrients.... it's the perfect place to be generous.

1.  Wash the lentils thoroughly.  Trust me, you really gotta do this.  We crunched some rocks in this last casserole and that just sucks.  I like to use black lentils or french lentils because they are "meatier" in texture for the casserole.

2.  Put lentils in a big pot of water and bring to a boil.  Cook until just tender - maybe 20 - 30 minutes.  Watch and taste.  If they get mushy then the casserole is less pleasing to your mouth.  Once cooked, drain and set aside.

3.  While the lentils are cooking, chop an onion, some garlic, and some carrots.  Put them in a saute pan with oil and cook until just tender (again, don't overcook!).  Add in a couple heaping tablespoons of Italian herb or my favorite, Herbs de Provence which has lavender in it!  The H de P is the ticket, if you ask me. 

4.  As those are cooking, chop up a big bunch of kale, chard or collards and throw into the pan with onion mix.  Cook for a bit until it's all looking good and then add tomatoes, about 2 - 4 tablespoons of tomato paste, and 2 or more cups green peas.  Cook a bit longer.  Remember  ---- this will all get another 30 - 45 minutes of baking time so you don't want to make it mushy.

5.  Add lentils to the vegetable saute mix.  Add some salt and pepper and taste.  Does it need more H de P or tomato paste?  Be creative and add what you like at this point.

6.  While the vegetables were in saute mode, I hope you were washing, chopping and boiling your potatoes for the mashed potato bit.  Come on, you can do it ---- three pots on the stove.

             1 pot for lentils

             1 huge saute pan for the vegetable mixture

             1 large pot for potatoes to boil

All we need is love!

7.  Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them and put them in a big mixing bowl, add some soy or almond milk, and salt and pepper and turn the mix master on.  Or.... you can build yourself some upper body strength and mashed those things yourself.  I prefer pull ups to hand mashing, myself.

8.  Lay the lentil mix in the bottom of a giant casserole dish and flatten slightly.  Add a thick layer of mashed potatoes on top.  Put this in the oven for 30 - 45 minutes at 350 degrees.  Watch it and look for a slight browning on the potatoes.  Remember, everything is really already cooked, now it's just marrying and combining until bubbly goodness.

9.  You can make the vegan gravy near the end of cook time for the Shepherd's pie.  Recipe to follow after some photos.

                                                                                                     

This is the saute pan full of onion, garlic, carrots, tomatoes, spices, and kale.

Blurry photo of the lentil vegetable mix laid into the bottom of the casserole dish.  No need to use any extra oil to grease the casserole dish.  Just layer in the goodness and add potatoes.....

After mashing the potatoes with almond milk and salt and pepper I scooped them on top of the lentil veggie mix and then popped the whole thing in the oven (uncovered) for about 30 minutes or so.  It browned right up and we slathered it with vegan gravy and ate it next to a HUGE side of broccoli.

Yum Yum Yum!  

                                                                 

Vegan Gravy

1 vegetable bullion cube

2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

few good dashes garlic powder

2 - 4 heaped tablespoons Nutritional Yeast

 few good dashes soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard

1/4 - 1/2 cup flour (as needed, use brown rice flour if gluten sensitive)

1 tablespoon vegan margarine

sea salt and pepper to taste

Here's a little succulent spot I love.

 1.  Combine all ingredients in pot and bring to a boil.

2.  Cook on medium heat until thick.  I use a whisk and stir stir stir so it doesn't get lumpy.

You can add a pinch of sage, rosemary, or oregano to the gravy.

Easy peasy to prepare.  Maybe 10 minutes.

OK, that's it on the food front.  Now if you want a bit more entertainment and a little hint about who else I am (other than this really big advocate for eating lots of vegetables and good things like lentils) then keep reading.....

I always put photos of my dogs in my blog posts.  Here is our little old lady cat, Momo.  I was taking a photo of the new art I framed. I got this silk screen print from a yard sale.  It was in a frame and the mat had been signed by the artist.  The frame was old and yucky.  I took the print to our local frame shop and had a new mat cut and framed it up.  While I was taking a photo to send to my daughter, Momo appeared and decided to be in the photo too.  Her orange coloring kind of matches the print.  She misses my daughter (who is allergic to her, by the way!)

My husband recently spent an entire weekend helping a friend put in skylights.  While he was gone I sewed and sewed and sewed!  This is the Farmer's Market bag I made.  I love it.  I have about 10,000 yards of fabric in my sewing closet and I plan to make everyone I know a FM bag for Christmas!  Then, see, you have to go to the FM and fill it with kale, peaches, radishes, lettuce, beets, peppers, etc....

And finally... the purse I made myself.  It is reversible but I like this side the best.  I have a request or two in for these as gifts.  I guess I better send my husband off again so I can sew to my heart's content!

Gotta make some dinner.  We are having baked yams, green sorrel soup, brown rice, and a huge salad with garbanzo beans, olives, and nuts.  What are you having?

Be well, everyone!  Namaste'