Comfort food comes in many forms, and
finding a new, healthy edition of a dish such as shepherd's pie is welcome in
this space. I received this recipe for Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie from
Soyfoods and had to try it. If you are not interested in the vegetarian meat
substitute from Yves Veggie Cuisine, skip it or use regular ground meat. It
works both ways. Also if you happen to need gluten-free options, use rice flour
instead of all-purpose wheat flour. I tested it; my research team - my
Chronicle co-workers - loved it.
Ingredients:
Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
Makes
4-6 servings
1½
pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped (or baked)
2
tablespoons soft, non-hydrogenated margarine
2
teaspoons canola oil
1
package Yves Veggie Cuisine Veggie Ground (vegetarian ground meat substitute)
1
green bell pepper, chopped
2
cloves garlic, minced
1
tablespoon all-purpose flour (or rice flour)
1
cup vegetable broth
1
cup mixed vegetables
¼
teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cook the potatoes by peeling,
chopping and boiling until tender, or baking in their skins and removing skins
following the baking. Add the margarine to the cooked drained (if boiling)
potatoes and mash until smooth. Set aside.
In a nonstick skillet heat the oil.
Cook the veggie ground, green bell pepper and garlic, stirring for 5 minutes.
Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add broth to the skillet and bring to
a boil. Add the mixed vegetables and ground pepper.
Spread the vegetable mixture in the
bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish. Spread the mashed potatoes on top. Bake
for about 15 minutes or until the top is browned and the mixture is bubbly.
