shepherd's pie

 

I want to be good. I want to exercise more. Drink less wine. Eat less meat. That’s why I came up with this healthy low fat-ish vegetarian shepherd’s pie. This recipe combines one of my favourite lentil dishes with low fat mashed potatoes for a tasty treat. I made it last night for a poker party at my friend Georgia’s. I lost ten bucks, but at least this dish was a winner.

 

 

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

 

(The lentil base is adapted from a recipe I found in Jane Brody’s “Good Food Gourmet,” a terrific cookbook filled with yummy and inspiring low fat recipes.)

 

Ingredients

 

 

For the Lentil Stew

 

2 cups brown lentils
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup plain tomato sauce (like Hunt’s, simple not spiced)
4 green onions, chopped with white and green parts
1 large yellow pepper (or green or red) chopped
1 stalk celery chopped
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons chilli powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon molasses
1 tablespoon red wine or cider vinegar

2 cups brown lentils

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup plain tomato sauce (like Hunt’s, simple not spiced)

4 green onions, chopped with white and green parts

1 large yellow pepper (or green or red) chopped

1 stalk celery chopped

4 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons chilli powder

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon molasses

1 tablespoon red wine or cider vinegar

 

 

 

For the mashed potatoes

 

8-10 medium gold potatoes
4 big tablespoons plain yogurt (I used Liberty, 2.5 percent, which was incredibly tasty, no fattening butter or sour cream required!)
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (just for a little colour and extra flavour on top)

 

 

Directions

 

Bring the lentils to a boil in six cups of water.  Simmer on medium low, covered, for about 25 minutes. (Don’t overcook lentils.)

 

In 2 teaspoons of olive oil, sautee onions, peppers and celery with the spices until tender, about four to five minutes. Add garlic. Saute a minute.  Add tomato sauce, molasses and vinegar. Stir.  Add cooked lentils. Stir to combine. (If lentils seems to dry or for a “saucier” sauce, add water or a bit more tomato sauce– 1/2 cup more.)

 

For mashed potatoes,  rinse and peel the potatoes. (I used ten small-ish ones.) Bring them to a boil in a large pot of water and  cook until tender/soft (about a half an hour.)  Mash with three tablespoon plain yogurt (I used 2.5 percent milk fat for a richer taste, but you can go lower.) Salt and pepper to taste.

 

In rectangular baking dish, layer the beans on the bottom evenly. Spoon mashed potatoes on top evenly.  Texture and fluff with a fork.   Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove from oven and add grated cheese and parsley. Heat for another five minutes until cheese melts.  Let sit five-ten minutes and serve.  (Leftovers make for a healthy lunch the next day.)

2 Responses to “How To Be Good — Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie”

  1. Margo Says:

    oh boy. this is happening.
    comfort food nearly guilt free.. deserved of its own section perhaps.
    ooh and yogurt in the mash.. realized what attracts me most to this is
    the ingredient list, much akin to most of my fav indian dishes. in a traditional american/?/british package.
    will report back on this one post execution.

    ps. both english and french versions of The Little Prince available for borrow chez Laura

  2. laura Says:

    Glad you’re excited about it. Feel free to play with seasonings. This one is really not “indian” in flavour, just so you know. The molasses, chilli powder and tomato sauce actually give the lentils more of a tangy bbq sauce vibe I’ve become quite addicted to. (I make them on their own, with pasta or rice.) For more hmpph, and if you dig the spice, you can always crank up the garlic and cumin further, but the recipe as written is how I like mine. Let me know your results. It’s a healthy fave for me, that’s for sure.

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