Shepherd’s Pie with Lentils Serves – 8

Technically Shepherds Pie was made with lamb and everything else that looked like Shepherd’s Pie was called Cottage Pie.

There are so many versions of this recipe, mine has lentils and mushrooms for the fibre, nutrition profile and extending the protein.

5 large sweet potatoes

1 Tbsp oil

1 lb extra lean ground beef

2 onions, diced

2 large carrots, scrubbed well – to equal 3 cups diced carrots

12 – 14 cremini mushrooms, cleaned – to equal 3 diced cups mushrooms

1 540 mL can lentils, rinsed and drained

2 Tbsp. garlic powder or 6 cloves minced

1 Tbsp. dried thyme leaves

1 cup beef or veggie broth

2 Tbsp. ketchup

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 cups frozen peas, thawed

2 tsp. smoked paprika

1. Scrub the sweet potatoes well. Either oven roast or microwave until cooked through and very tender. I microwave them to save time and energy. Remove from oven or microwave and let cool.
2. Meanwhile: in a large skillet, heat oil and add ground beef. Brown. Remove any excess fat.
3. Add onions, carrots and mushrooms and sauté until the carrots are fairly tender.
4.  Add lentils, garlic and thyme, stirring in well.
5. In a small bowl whisk together broth, ketchup, tomato paste and Worcestershire Sauce.
6. Pour into meat mixture and stir in well. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook for ten minutes.
7. While that’s cooking, cut the sweet potatoes in half and scoop out the cooked sweet potato. Place in a bowl and mash. You should get at least 4 cups mashed. I save the skins and sprinkle the inside with smoked paprika and garlic powder and roast in the oven for 3-40 minutes until crispy.
8. Line a 13×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Stir peas into meat mixture. Scoop mixture into the prepared pan. Top with mounds of sweet potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika.
9. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are browned and the meat mixture is bubbling. Serve.