‘Meat-Free Monday’ was an initiative designed by Paul, Mary and Stella McCartney to encourage the world to go meat free, one day of the week. The benefits of this simple practice are endless – not only do we reduce our meat consumption and consequently our green-house gas emissions, we also save money and boost our intake of fibre at the same time. As you can imagine, I think the concept is fantastic and as such, I’m always looking for new and exciting meat-free options to whip up each week. This Lentil Shepherd’s Pie is one of our favourites and despite what you may think, it’s incredibly EASY to prepare.
Why Lentils?
- VERSATILE – Lentils can be substituted into virtually any minced meat dish with little to no fuss.
- PLANT BASED PROTEIN – They are a great source of plant based protein (approximately 18g per 1 cup) however should always be paired with something like rice to boost your essential amino acid intake.
- FIBRE – Lentils contain approximately 15g fibre per cup! Fibre is essential for maintaining a healthy gut microbiome, ensuring we have a healthy bowel movementAND managing healthy hormone levels. With a large proportion of Australians (and other Western populations) eating far less than the RDI of fibre daily, we need to start looking for creative ways to boost our intake!
Remember, lentils are best served soaked in order to boost the nutrient quantity of the humble legume itself (see here).
Lentil Shepherds Pie with Sweet Potato & Pumpkin
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- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 people 1x
Ingredients
- 1 brown onion (finely chopped)
- 1 large carrot (chopped)
- 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
- 1 cup 250ml tomato passata
- 1 cup vegetable liquid stock
- 2 400g can lentils (rinsed, drained)
- 600 g sweet potatoes (peeled, chopped)
- 200 g pumpkin (peeled and chopped)
- 50 g grass-fed butter
- Green salad to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. In a large pan, over medium heat cook onion for 1-2 minutes. Add carrot and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add passata and stock.
- Simmer gently for 15 minutes until vegetables are cooked. Stir in lentils and season, and then transfer to a baking dish. Meanwhile, cook sweet potato and pumpkin in boiling salted water until tender.
- Drain and mash. Stir in butter. Spread over lentil mixture and roughen top with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes or until bubbling and golden.
- Serve with a green side salad x
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Vegetarian
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