Get ready for an explosion of vegetables and flavor in this non-traditional version of shepherd’s pie.  Protein rich lentils replace the meat and an avocado is added in with the mashed “potato/cauliflower” to replace butter with its heart- healthy mono and polyunsaturated fat instead of saturated. Make it stretch two nights by transforming leftovers into soup in 10 minutes. (See end.)

Directions

Prep Work: Dice onion and store alone. Dice half of potatoes. Peel the other half of potatoes and then cut into large chunks.  Dice zucchini and mushrooms and add to diced potatoes. 

1.  Heat cooking oil in large skillet and saute onions until translucent, 3-4 min. Add zucchini, mushrooms and diced potatoes, crushed garlic, oregano, salt and pepper.  Saute until zucchini are brightly colored and potatoes soft, approx. 5-7 min.

2.  Add broth, carrots and lentils.  Put lid on, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 25-30 min.  You will know it is finished when the lentils are soft.  Remove lid and continue to simmer until liquid in bottom of pan is almost completely gone, stirring every few minutes.

3.  While lentils/vegetables simmer, fill pot with chopped, peeled potatoes and 4” of water over top of them. Bring to a boil, then add cauliflower and reduce heat to low. Simmer with lid on for 15 min. or until vegetables are soft. 

4.  Drain liquid from potatoes/cauliflower, add avocado to pot and mash all with potato masher.  Salt and pepper to taste. I also add another crushed garlic clove here because I like a lot and then make the mixture smooth with my immersion blender. For finicky eaters you can always leave the avocado out and just add enough butter or sour cream to make the potatoes creamy.

5.  Layer lentil mixture in 13x9 baking pan topped by mashed potatoes and cauliflower mixture.  For some color you can serve the pie in a few different ways. 1) Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and broil for a few minutes to melt it. 2) Sprinkle with paprika.  3) Sprinkle with chopped parsley, cilantro or green onion.  4) Do all of the above.

“Lentils contain nearly 90 percent of the daily recommendation of folate, which helps produce new cells and is essential to iron production in the body. Lentils also contain magnesium, which is important to muscle and nerve function, strong bones and maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.”

http://www.livestrong.com/article/41517-lentil-nutrition-information/

“But its antioxidant support extends far beyond the conventional nutrients into the realm of phytonutrients. Beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, caffeic acid, cinnamic acid, ferulic acid, quercetin, rutin, and kaempferol are among cauliflower’s key antioxidant phytonutrients. This broad spectrum antioxidant support helps lower the risk of oxidative stress in our cells.”     

http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=13

“Avocados provide nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid. They also act as a “nutrient booster” by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha and beta-carotene and lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit.” 

http://www.avocado.org/nutrition/

Leftovers into Soup:  Scoop leftovers into a soup pot and add some broth, diced greens like spinach or kale, corn and cooked and cut nitrate free turkey or chicken sausage.  Sprouts sells this kind of sausage fresh at the meat counter by the way! It’s quick and delicious served with some great bread or grilled cheese sandwiches.

OTL 2012