Hot and cold.

I apologize for what I am about to show you. This is by far the least healthy thing I have made in ages, just because of the amount of vegan butter in it. >.< However, since we only eat like this every once in a while, and defiantly watch the portion sizes, I actually didn’t feel too bad about it. (Even though while I was cooking it I was working out the amount of calories from fat I had added per serving >.<)

Anyways, here you go. A completely vegan, completely comforting Shepard’s pie. Like damn near everything else I make this was a seat of my pants recipe so the measurements are approximates. Maybe one day I will have presence of mind to write down what I put in as I cook….

Vegan Lentil Shepperd’s pie

For the potatoes

2 large russet potatoes

1 tsp garlic powder

2 t vegenaise

2 T nutritional yeast

1/2 stick of Earth balance or any other vegan butter substitute

1/4 c (about) vegetable stock

2 T soy milk

salt and pepper

For the filling

1 c brown lentils

2 cups vegetable stock

2 cups water

2 carrots diced

1 c frozen peas

1 small onion diced

most of a can of corn

1/2 a pint of baby bellas sliced

1 1/2 t each of sage, thyme, oregano and marjoram

2 cloves of garlic

1 t Earth balance

1 c vegetable stock

1/2 c water

2 T cornstarch

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper

In a medium sauce pan add the 2 c stock and water along with the lentils. Set to medium high heat and cover. Allow to cook until the lentils are soft, around 20 minutes. If there is some liquid remaining its no big deal, hold on to it for later.

Peel, dice and steam or boil potatoes until soft. Drain in sink and return to a still hot but dry pot to help some of the water evaporate out.  Combine all ingredients except the stock and soy milk and mix until very smooth. Use about half of each the stock and the milk and judge weather or not it needs more. When they are a smooth consistency set aside.

In a very large, deep saute pan, sweat out onions and garlic in the butter. Add carrots and allow to cook until almost tender, about 5 min. Add remaining vegetables and seasonings. Simmer for 5 min, and then toss in lentils. In the same pot you cooked the legumes in, add the remaining 1 c veg stock and the bay leaf. Dissolve the cornstarch in the 1/2 c water and pour in to the pot. If you have any stock left over from cooking the lentils put that in as well. Bring to a steady boil and allow to thicken up a bit. When it coats the back of a spoon, remove the bay leaf and pour over the vegetable mixture.

Heat your oven to 350.

In a well oiled casserole dish (pretty good sized one) add the vegetable mixture, then top with the potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika and bake until bubbly, about 30 min.

We all loved this. Matt had 2 servings and called dibs on the leftovers. Liam ate as much as I did lol. I covered mine in agave ketchup though lol. This is a little labor intensive, but is totally worth it to me :-).

Now for something you couldn’t feel guilty about if you tried. My new obsession, cucumber and red onion salad.  I have made this, no joke, 6 times in 2 weeks. I ADORE this salad and it’s stupid easy.

Cucumber and red onion salad

1 large cumber sliced very thin

1/2 or less red onion sliced very thin

2 T rice wine vinigar

1/2 t agave

1 t white vinigar

1t sesame oil

salt

pepper

sesame seeds

Thats it lol. Put everything in a bowl, toss, and refrigerate until ready to eat. Or pick out pieces throughout the day…. you know … whatever. The longer this sets the better it gets. I actually ate left overs for breakfast one morning, and it was fantastic lol.

Making something pretty special tomorrow, so it will probably take me another week to get anything written about it, but one word….samosa. That is all ❤