A Wee Irish Meal Ahead (vegan and meat version available)

 St. Patrick's day is in two days and while many people will be eating Corned beef and cabbage, I for one do not care for these particular food items. If I was to celebrate this day, I would opt for a yummy Shepard's Pie. You can prepare this in many ways using various types of meat. I like mine with Turkey since I don't eat red meat while my husband enjoys the traditional route of beef. Though I have yet to make it, I'm including a Vegan version. I hope you have a wonderful day no matter how you celebrate it :)

Enjoy!

Nigel's version of Shepard's pie: This recipe uses the ground turkey and  ground pork.
Serving or 4-5
1 package of ground turkey meat
1 package of ground pork
bag of frozen veggies
and Bisto gravy (Bisto can be found in World Market if you don't have a British store in your vicinity)
Since this is Nigel's recipe I do not know the exact measurement for the ingredients but have found a similar version.

1. Boil the potatoes until tender, drain and mash with butter. He also adds some cauliflower to the boiling water and mashes the yams and the cauliflower together. I'm pretty sure he adds a little cream to this mixture.
2. Meanwhile fry the meat in a pan until brown and drain off any excess fat. Add Worcestershire sauce, Ketchup, clove of garlic(can be removed when cooked)(We omit these last two). He also adds some frozen veggies while cooking the meat. Sometimes we add parsnips or carrots if I have too many on hand. 
3. (Nigel makes the gravy and then adds it to the meat.) Sprinkle the Bisto Gravy Granules over the mince and add some boiling water to make a thick gravy.
4. Add a handful of peas, stir then place all the mixture in a large casserole dish.
5. Top with mashed potato and place in a preheated oven at 190°C/375°F/Gas 5 for about 30 to 40 minutes until browned on top and hot in the middle.

**Substitute red meat in place of the turkey but still use some ground pork. 

Vegan Version via One Ingredient Chef (blog)

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 4 medium sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup diced onions
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/2 cup diced carrots
• 4 1/2 cups prepared lentils
• 2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon basil + more for garnish
• 1/2 cup chopped spinach
• 2+ tablespoons non-dairy milk
• Sea salt

Step One

Before anything else, peel and chop the sweet potatoes into small chunks. Get them in a pot of water and let them boil for at least 15-20 minutes, depending on size.

Step Two

Meanwhile, chop the carrots, onion, and celery (mirepoix) into small chunks. To make things super easy, I often buy a pre-cut mirepoix at Trader Joe’s. Or you can use a food processor. Add this to a large skillet over medium heat with a tablespoon of water and allow them to soften.

Step Three

Once the veggies are softened, add the prepared lentils to the pan. You can use any kind of lentils you’d like… dried (cook them yourself), canned (drained), or pre-made lentils in a package (as long as the don’t have any unnatural ingredients). Allow these to cook for several minutes with the mirepoix.

Preheat the oven to 350º F

Step Four

Open the cans of diced tomatoes (but do not drain them) and add these along with a tablespoon of chopped (or dried) basil leaves, a handful of chopped spinach, and a splash of soy sauce. Let this filling simmer for 10-15 minutes for the flavors to mingle.

Step Five

When the sweet potatoes are soft all the way through, remove them from the heat and drain the water. Mash with a little salt and a splash of non-dairy milk until the consistency is perfect.

Add the lentil filling to a 9 x 13 pan and top with a layer of sweet potatoes. Or, like pictured, you can add to individual oven-safe bowls. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until the topping becomes slightly browned. Allow to cool before serving. This recipe yields about 6 servings and makes excellent leftovers the next evening for a 2-for-1 dinner.