Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

OK, I confess, I never really liked shepherd’s pie growing up. It was one of my least-favorite meals. If you’re unfamiliar with this dish, in it’s basic form, it begins with a layer of ground, cooked meat, followed by a layer of vegetables; which, for us, was creamed corn, then covered in a thick layer of mashed potatoes. The casserole is baked in the oven until the potatoes get a little crispy and in my family’s case, would be eaten with ketchup.

I have to admit, though, that I do like the concept of a layered casserole and so after talking with a yoga instructor of mine who told me about a delicious dish she had out one evening, I decided to make my version of this. There is no meat. The bottom layer is lentils and the middle, vegetable layer is mixed into this, although it could be layered.

And rather than white potatoes for the topping, I’ve used a combination of roasted cauliflower and a bit of grated cheese, or if you’d like to make this completely vegan, you can replace the cheese with sunflower seeds that have been soaked for several hours then rinsed and drained. I tried both versions of the topping and I liked them both.

The recipe got the thumbs up, although, I was told that the top layer should be much thicker next time. This would mean either doubling or even tripling the ingredients for cauliflower topping below. Just as an aside, cauliflower roasted with a bit of oil, sea salt and pepper is addictive! This dish almost didn’t happen because I came very close to eating all the cauliflower, so you might want to make extra!! I hope you enjoy it. : )

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

1 c green lentils, picked through, soaked, then cooked in vegetable broth

1 T grapeseed oil

½ c chopped yellow onion

½ c celery, chopped

½ c fennel, chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped

2 – 3 large kale leaves, thick stems removed and leaves chopped

1 t dried basil or 1T fresh, chopped basil

2 c cauliflower florets

¼ c hard cheese, grated, such as parmesan or manchego, or ¼ c sunflower seeds, soaked for several hours then drained

sea salt and pepper to taste

Place cauliflower into a large bowl, then drizzle ~ 1T grapeseed or olive oil on top and sprinkle with sea salt. Toss the florets with your hands and place into a baking dish. Roast at 350°F, mixing occasionally, until it starts to lightly brown, ~35 – 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, in a sauté pan on medium heat, add the oil and cook the onions for a few minutes. Add the celery and fennel and sauté a few minutes more, then add the carrots and cook an additional 5 minutes. Add the kale leaves, mix well and cook the mixture just until the kale wilts.

Transfer the sautéed vegetables to a food processor and process until it resembles a fine mixture. Add the lentils and the basil and mix well. Add sea salt to taste. Transfer to an oiled pie plate.

Add the cauliflower to the food processor and process until it begins to resemble mashed potatoes. Add the cheese and mix well. As an alternative to the cheese, add the soaked and drained sunflower seeds to the cauliflower and process together.

Evenly spread the cauliflower and cheese (or seed) mixture over the lentils and vegetables. Sprinkle with pepper.

Place the casserole, uncovered into a 350°F oven and bake until the top lightly browns, ~25-30 minutes.

Chickpea and Lentil Chili

I wasn’t paying attention to what the weather would be today when I decided to try something different for a vegetarian chili recipe. But the heavy, Autumn rain is a perfect match for a dish like this. I actually had it simmering on the stove by mid morning and the aroma was almost too much to handle!

This recipe is a variation on the vegetarian recipes that often call for pinto, red, and/or black beans. I’ve replaced them with lentils, seen above. I’ve included this picture because I marvel at how pretty they really are! They remind me of the stones that I saw at the edge of the ocean in Northern California. Just thought I’d share that. : )

Back to the chili, I’ve also kept the chickpeas (and I've explained their amazing health benefits here) and added lots of vegetables, including cauliflower, mushrooms, and greens.

The cauliflower, lentils, and mushrooms give this dish a texture that is surprisingly like a meat-based chili and you won’t even miss the meat! I think almost any vegetable you have on hand will work well in this dish. I also feel that good quality spices are really important. I used a smoked, Hungarian paprika here and a nice chili powder. Start off on the low side when adding the spices then add more to taste.

In addition, because I try to use canned foods as little as possible, when not using fresh tomatoes, I’ve switched to tomato products in tetra-pak containers. I’ve seen them at many of the major grocers in this area.

This would make a very hearty meal over brown rice or quinoa and can be garnished with traditional sour cream, chives, and cheese, or even cashews.

Chickpea and Lentil Chili

1 – 2 T grapeseed oil

1 medium onion, chopped small

2 bell peppers, seeded and chopped small

2 stalks celery, sliced lengthwise and chopped

8 oz. mushrooms, chopped

½ head cauliflower, chopped into small pieces

2 – 3 cloves garlic, minced

1 t dried oregano

2-4 T chili powder

2 T paprika

1 T cumin

½ t cayenne pepper

1 t black pepper

1 t sea salt

~2 c vegetable broth, simmering

1 12 oz. bottle dark beer, at room temperature (optional)

1 c lentils, soaked overnight and rinsed

3 c chickpeas, soaked overnight and rinsed, divided

2 large tomatoes, chopped small

3 c tomato puree or strained tomatoes

2 c chopped fresh green, such as spinach or kale

cooked brown rice

shredded Monterey jack, cheddar, or other cheese, or

cashews

1. Heat the oil on medium in a large pot. Add the onion and saute until they become translucent.

2. Add the peppers and celery and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

3. Add the mushrooms and spices and cook briefly.

4. Add the hot vegetable broth, beer, lentils, 2 cups of chickpeas, tomatoes, and puree.

5. In a blender, blend the remaining 1-cup of chickpeas with just enough water or vegetable broth to cover. Add the puree to the pot.

6. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until the tomatoes cook down.

7. A few minutes before the end of cooking, add the chopped greens. If adding spinach, add about 5 minutes before serving. If adding kale, allow a few more minutes for it to wilt.

8. Serve over brown rice and garnish as desired.

Forbidden (Black) Rice, Lentils and Kale

Black rice, also known as Forbidden Rice, is an heirloom grain that was evidently grown for the Emperors of China as a longevity food. It has a deep, nutty taste, is high in nutrients, including iron, and contains anthocyanins, compounds that act as antioxidants, in its deep pigment. It’s also high in vitamin E and fiber and is being touted as the new “superfood”.

I just found the rice the other day at Whole Foods and thought I would give it a try in a very dark dish I put together with lentils and kale. Lentils are high in fiber, folate, vitamin B6, thiamin, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, and iron. Its protein is a great complement to the amino acid content found in rice which makes the combination a wonderful, complete-protein dish.

Kale is a superstar leafy green. For it’s health benefits, I want to direct you to this great Facebook page for a Kale Challenge that I’m following right now. The Green Lemon-Aid recipe on this page is tangy and delicious and if you're into juicing, I encourage you to try it!

Here’s the rice and lentil dish with kale:

1 T grapeseed or coconut oil

1 medium onion, chopped small

1 cup black rice, soaked in water overnight and rinsed well

1 cup green lentils, soaked in water overnight and rinsed well

water or veggie broth

2 cups kale leaves removed from stalks and broken into small pieces

Juice from ½ to 1 lemon

sea salt and black pepper

1. Place lentils in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce heat and allow to simmer until tender, ~10-15 minutes, but maybe less depending on how long they’ve been soaked.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a second medium saucepan. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add black rice and 1 ¾ cups of veggie broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until cooked, ~15-20 minutes since it's been soaked.

3. Drain the lentils, then add to the cooked rice and onions.

4. Pick up the kale with hands and squeeze/massage it in hands to tenderize it. Add to the hot rice and lentils and stir well to wilt the kale.

5. Squeeze half a lemon (or more) into the mix and season with sea salt and pepper.

This is a hearty dish on its own and is even good cold so would be great to take for lunch or for a simple dinner with a salad. Here's to your health!