I made shepherd's pie for the first time two weeks ago.
I'd never thought about making it before because it always seemed too “heavy”—like that lethargic and weighted down feeling one tends to get after eating a hearty midwestern meal.
But this winter—for whatever reason—I’ve been craving comfort food, so I decided to create my own lighter rendition of shepherd's pie.
I was a little surprised that I liked this recipe so much. (We're on round three at my house.) And it's been the perfect meal to batch prep on Sunday's for easy weekday dinners.
Plus, check out the nutrition: each serving (4 servings per batch) has about 350 calories, 29 grams of carbs, 11 grams of fiber and 23 grams of protein. Also, this recipe will give you 231% of your vitamin C needs for the day, and is rich in potassium, iron and vitamin A.)
P.S. Although it’s vegetarian, I made notes on how to make it vegan in the crockpot cauliflower mash recipe. Or you can sub ground turkey or beef if that’s your preference. And if you have a request for a recipe to "lighten-up" send me a message or comment on my Insta account.
xxoo—christine
INGREDIENTS
2 batches of crockpot cauliflower mash
2 Beyond Burgers (1 package)
1 12-oz. package frozen mixed vegetables
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
Olive oil spray (or use 2 tsp. olive oil)
DIRECTIONS
Set oven to 375 degrees.
Make two batches of crockpot cauliflower mash and set aside.
Add olive oil (or spray) to a large skillet.
Crumble both burgers, add to skillet and set to medium-high heat. Use a turner to chop burgers into smaller pieces while moving around the skillet.
Add Italian seasoning and frozen veggies and cook until fragrant (but not overdone—you’ll still want to see the burger “meat” a little pink.
Spray 8x8 glass pan with olive oil. Then add mixture and top with cauliflower mash.
Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. It should look a little browned around edges, if not, you may need to add another 5 minutes.