Cauliflower Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

free from: grains, gluten, dairy, starches and refined-sugar (vegan and paleo friendly)

A lighter twist on a hearty classic – Cauliflower Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

A lesser known fact about me is that I worked at the Renaissance Faire in high school. That’s right, I wore the costume and even spoke with an accent m’lady! One of my favorite dishes at the booth I worked was shepherd’s pie. I ate it during most of my lunch breaks–not a very healthy choice but I was in heaven.

Since my stomach issues have worsened both potatoes and beef are difficult to digest, making shepherd’s pie a recipe for disaster. This Cauliflower Lentil Shepherd’s Pie recipe is my tummy friendly twist on the classic dish, I hope you all love it as much as I do.

Rather than beef I used lentils, and instead of potatoes I swapped in some mashed cauliflower. This may seem like a weird combo, but with all the spices it works so well. I only used carrots in the filling since this already contains cauliflower, too many veggies can make me bloat like crazy! However, if you can tolerate other veggies feel free to add them in the filling (peas &/or green beans would be delish).

The following recipe makes 15 servings:

Pie Filling

• 4 large carrots
• 15oz precooked canned lentils, drained and rinsed
• 1 tbsp garlic infused oil
• 15oz canned chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• A dash of thyme, paprika, salt & pepper

Heat garlic infused oil in a frying pan on medium. Add the carrots (peeled and diced) and cook for 4-5 minutes. Stir often. Then add the tomatoes, vegetable broth, lentils, and pumpkin seeds. Add in spices to taste. Lower the heat and let simmer for 15-20 minutes until thick.

Pour filling into a large oven safe dish (like a pyrex) and top with mashed cauliflower, instructions below:

Mashed Cauliflower

• 2 heads cauliflower
• 4 tbsp vegan butter
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 pinch black pepper
• As needed, about ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk

Cut cauliflower into florets and steam until very tender, about 15-20 minutes. Then set aside uncovered to cool slightly.

Sauté the garlic and butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes (don’t let it burn!). Turn off heat and set aside.

Transfer the cauliflower into a food processor and mix until puréed. Add almond milk as needed to help with purée. Add in all other ingredients and process until well combined. You may need to mix this in sections depending on the size of your food processor.

Once it is a whipped consistency, smear the mashed cauliflower on top of the pie filling and bake for 10-20 minutes until golden brown. Optional: add an extra dash of paprika on top. Once done, let cool a little and enjoy while warm.

This reheats and freezes very well! 😊