I am a part-time vegetarian. Preferring vegetables to meat, when making a meat dish I usually pack it with more vegetables than meat. Even when I was feeding a family of 5, including 3 boys, I rarely used more than a pound of meat in a meal to feed everyone. Eating all vegetarian would be my preference but the good husband still likes his meat so I make it more for him than for me. The meal that gets made is what everyone eats! There were never alternate meals in this house if you didn't like something. As a result, my adult children eat almost anything. Some people still ask, "but what DO you eat when you have vegetarian meals?" Eating vegetarian Is really so easy and you can get some 'stick to your ribs' and hearty meals like this lentil and vegetable shepherd's pie. I guess this shepherd is herding her sheep but not eating them. This meal happens to be one that I prefer the vegetarian version over the meat version any day. Portabella mushroom stroganoff is another meal I much prefer the vegetarian option over the meat one. There is also the veggie chili, lasagne, soups...OK, you get the point! Substituting mushrooms, beans or lentils for the meat in a recipe is often the only thing you need to change to make a meat based recipe a vegetarian one.
LENTIL AND VEGGIE SHEPHERD'S PIE
1-14 oz. can vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
1 cup dry brown lentils, rinsed and drained
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 medium carrots, peeled and biased sliced in 1/2 inch slices (2 cups)
3 small parsnips, peeled and biased sliced in 1/2 inch slices (1 1/2 cups)
6 white boiling onions (8 oz.) quartered or 1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
4 cups coarsest shredded trimmed fresh chard or kale (I used COSTCO power blend of chard, kale and spinach)
1-14 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained ( I used fire-roasted, I almost always do)
2 T. no-salt-added tomatoe paste
2 T. fresh basil, snipped or 2 tsp. dried crushed
4 medium potatoes peeled and cut up
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 T. butter
3-4 T. skim milk
1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
1 T, snipped fresh basil or 1/2 tsp. dried crushed
1.
In a large saucepan, combine broth, the water, lentils, and minced garlic. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add carrots, parsnips, and onions. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes more or just until vegetables and lentils are tender. Stir in chard; remove from heat. Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, and the 2 tablespoons fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil.
2.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Meanwhile, in a covered large saucepan, cook potatoes and whole garlic cloves in enough boiling lightly salted water to cover for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender; drain. Mash with a potato masher or beat with an electric mixer on low speed. Add butter. Gradually beat in enough of the milk to make potatoes light and fluffy. Fold in cheese and the 1 tablespoon fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil.
3.
Spread lentil mixture in a 2- to 2-1/2-quart casserole or au gratin dish. Spoon potato mixture over lentil mixture, spreading evenly.
4.
Bake, uncovered, about 35 minutes or until heated through.
Make Ahead Tip
- Prepare as directed through Step 3. Cover baking dish with plastic wrap; store in the refrigerator up to 24 hours. To serve, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove plastic wrap. Cover dish with foil. Bake for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more or until heated through.
This is the cookbook that the recipe came from. I have a good friend to thank for giving me this book.
I have used a good number of the recipes and have written a "good" or "very good" in the corner of almost every one I have used. It is a great resource if you are in a pre-diabetes classification, are diabetic or want to eat in a carb-friendly way. I recommend it or some of their other books. If you are needing a bit more support their website is helpful too! http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/ Join me in keeping your pre or existing diabetes under control!
