Conscious Cottage Pie (dairy/meat free alternative to shepherds pie)
Here is a delicious dairy free/meat free alternative to shepherds pie. It received a big thumbs up at our dining table the other day and has been eagerly requested again since (always a good sign)... I've used 'mugfuls' as a measurement, which would be an average sized coffee mug, since I don't have any kitchen scales. One of my latest recipes.
Enjoy!
With Love
Trin
(Vegan, very tasty - made with love!)
Ingredients:
Main ingredients:
1 mug Puy Lentils
2 1/2 veg stock (made with spring/filtered water)
1 medium sized leek
1 large clove garlic
1 tin tomatoes
1 small handful sun dried tomatoes (soaked and chopped)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp all spice
1 tsp (heaped) onion granules
2 dessertspoons date syrup (or maple/agave syrup)
1 handful chopped fresh parsley (or table spoon dried)
1 large bell pepper
Two handfuls mushrooms
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Topping ingredients:
750g potatoes (peeled)
50g creamed coconut (grated or finely chopped)
1 mug rice milk
Sprinkle of salt
Sprinkle dried parsley
Preparation:
Chop leek into strands (approximately 2 cm x 1 cm) and finely chop the garlic. Chop the pepper and mushrooms (however you want to).
Heat olive oil in a pan and gently sauté the leek and garlic. Add the pepper and mushroom and sauté for a couple of minutes.
Add the puy lentil along with the stock, tin of tomatoes and sun dried tomatoes and bring to the boil.
Add the salt , herbs, spices and remaining ingredients and allow to simmer for about 45 - 60 minutes, stirring frequently. All of the water should be absorbed. The puy lentils should hold their shape, yet have a softer bite.
Whilst the pot is simmering peel and cook the potatoes. Once cooked, drain off the water and sprinkle the coconut in. Replace the lid and allow the coconut to melt for a few minutes into the potato. Then add the salt and rice milk. Mash with a potato masher until it is lump free and has a creamy consistency.
When the lentil mixture is cooked, place into a casserole dish. Spoon the potato on top evenly, covering the lentil mixture. Use a fork to spread out the potato and leave ‘ridges’ in the potato topping. Sprinkle dried parsley on top.
Bake in a hot oven for about 25 minutes to allow the topping to crisp.
Serve with steamed veg.