Lentil sheperds pie is winter foodporn. Comfort food of the highest order. Here is my version that is meat free, gluten free, grain free, dairy free, low in fat, and stuffed with nutrients (five different veggies), protein and fibre!
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups (375ml) of dry green or brown lentils (I used brown)
- 1 tin of baked beans
- 500-600ml of good vegetable stock
- 3 medium carrots, grated
- 4 large spinach leaves, de-stemmed and shredded
- 1 brown onion, diced
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 teaspoon or sprig of origanum
- 1 teaspoon or sprig of thyme
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
- 1 teaspoon of mixed herbs
- 4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast flakes
- 75 ml Olive oil
- 3 medium potatoes
- 2 medium sweet potatoes (also known as yam’s, or jewel sweet potatoes, the orange kind)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Saute the onion utill they are soft and translucent.
- Add all the other ingredients to the pot, APART FROM THE: olive oil, baked beans, potatoes and sweet potatoes.
- Season the lentil filling with salt, and allow the lentils, carrots, spinach, stock and spices to simmer for at least 45 minutes over low heat with the lid on. Add the baked beans 5 minutes before taking it off the heat.
- While the lentils are cooking, peel and quarter the potatoes and sweet potatoes. Then cook them in salted water until the are ready to be drained and mashed (hold back a little of the cooking water to mash them with), add the olive oil once mashed and salt to taste.
- Once the lentil filling is cooked (lentils should be soft and flavourful), transfer them to your serving dish and cover them with a generous layer of mashed potatoes, pop it under the grill for a few minutes to achieve a crispy topping, and sprinkle over some more nutritional yeast flakes just before serving.
- Voila! Serve this dish with some roasted brussel sprouts, making it the perfect winter comfort food meal.