Vegan Shepherd's Pie

This recipe has been a favorite of mine for a few years. It's always changing depending on what I have on hand, but always tasty. I love doing healthier, veggie versions of traditional dishes, especially Newfoundland food, because that will always have a special place in my heart. I think Shepherd's Pie originated in Scotland, but we share many similarities in our traditional cooking.

Shepherd's Pie is one of those dishes that taste better the next day, after all the flavours have had time to  soak into everything. That's one reason why I love casseroles, it's so easy to make enough to last the whole weekend (This particular one didn't last more then 24 hours, though. It was that yummy.)

Vegan Shepherd's Pie
serves 5

Ingredients:
3 medium potatoes, cubed (equals about 3-4 cups)
1-2 tbsp butter (or Earth Balance)
1-2 cups veggie stock
1 chopped small onion
2 minced garlic cloves
2 medium carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)
3/4 cup dry TVP
1/2 cup dry red lentils (optional, but I like the extra protein)
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 tsp cumin
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. After you have your potatoes chopped, add them to a stock pot of boiling, salted water. Simmer until tender (about 10-15 mins).

2. Meanwhile, start another pot with 2 cups of water for your red lentils. Once it's boiled, add your rinsed lentils and reduce to a simmer. They don't need to be fully cooked, they'll finish cooking while in the oven, so about 15 mins on the stove top should be fine.

3. When your potatoes are done, save some liquid at the bottom of the pot after you've drained them for your mashed potatoes. Add the butter and start mashing! I used a splash of unsweetened Almond Milk so they were a bit creamier. Salt & pepper to taste.

4. Add the chopped onion, garlic and carrot to a saute pan with a splash of oil. Cook about 10 mins, until tender and fragrant.

5. Pre-heat oven to 375. Add your tvp to the bottom of your casserole dish, and rehydrate with 1 cup boiling veggie stock. Let it sit for 5 mins, then add your onion, garlic, carrots, (drained) lentils, corn, and seasoning. Mix everything together (Or layer it if you prefer, I think it taste better when it's mixed) Add enough veggie stock so it just covers everything. The TVP and lentils will soak up a lot of the liquid, so keep that in mind.

6. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the mixture as evenly as possible. Slightly smooth it, and score with a fork. Bake about 30-40 mins, if your mashed potatoes don't have a crispy top, then broil for 5-7 mins before taking it out of the oven. Let sit for 10 mins, then enjoy with some beets and mustard pickles!

Coming up: The recipe for my favorite pickled beets!

Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

2 cups cubbed potatoe

1 cup chopped carrot

1/5 cup frozen corn

1 cup cooked yellow eye’d beans

1/2 cup edamame

3 garlic cloves

1 white onion

1 tsp cooking oil

5 cups vegtable stock

.5 tsp tumeric

pinch of cinnamon

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

3 heaping tbsp salsa (optional)

Directions:

ONE: Peel and chopped all your veggies. Sautee onion and garlic in oil until fragrent and translucent. Add them to slow cooker.  

TWO: Add veggies, stock, and seasoning to your slow cooker. Set on HIGH and cook for 3 hours.

THREE: Make sure to soak your beans in cold water, over night. Start a pot on the stove with 4 cups of water. Rinse the pre-soaked beans and add them to your pot. Cook according to package instructions. I cooked mine for 50 mins on a low simmer.

FOUR: After your soup has been cooking for 3 hours, add your cooked beans. Cook for another 30 mins then add corn,  edamame, salsa and vinegar. Top with some no knead bread. Serve!

More Salad!

Mason jar salads are a trend I can get behind.

Asian Noodle Salad
Salad:
1/2-3/4 cup cooked rice noodles
1/3 cup edamame
1/4 cup each of grated cabbage and carrot
handful of peanuts

Sauce:
(there's no wrong way to make this sauce, it's according to your taste, so play around with it)
3 tbsp natural peanut butter
1/2 tsp sriracha
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp honey (or brown sugar)
1 tsp soy sauce
hot water

Directions:

1. Whisk together sauce ingredients, gradually adding hot water depending on desired thickness .

2. Cook noodles according to package directions. Defrost edamame. Assemble salad. Enjoy at a later time!

Warming Roasted Vegetable Soup

I really love peasant food. I think if one day I could afford to buy whatever groceries I pleased, I would still be making the same type of food I do now, I'd just buy more variety. I love one pot dishes with simple whole ingredients. Oats, stew, chili, tacos, and lentils are some of my favorite things to eat, and it goes to show you don't need to spend a ton of money to eat delicious, healthy food.

I also hate chopping vegetables, so it's easier to say my food is "rustic", then to actually learn how to chop properly.  Maybe one day I'll teach myself to julienne, but that's not today.

Warming Roasted Vegetable Soup with crispy chickpeas

Ingredients: 

Soup:

1 small turnip (about 2 cups chopped)

2 medium carrots

1 small onion

2 garlic cloves

3/4 cup split yellow peas

6-7 cups vegetable broth

1 cup coconut milk

1.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp curry powder

1 tsp cumin

Crispy Chickpeas:

(start marinating the night before)

1 cup chickpeas (pre cooked, or canned)

1 tbsp sriracha

1 tsp curry paste

2 tbsp canola oil (for cooking)

Directions:

- Pre heat oven to 350. Chop turnip and carrots into 1.5" pieces (The turnip make take longer then the carrots, so you can chop then a bit smaller if you like), coat in oil, and put in oven safe dish. Roast for 30 mins, or until golden and soft. 

-While vegetables are roasting start a stock pot on the stove with coconut oil, onions and garlic. Sautee until fragrant and translucent. Add broth, spices and split peas. Simmer for 30 mins. Add roasted vegetables, coconut milk, and vinegar, simmer for 15 mins.

-Let soup sit for 20 mins before blending. 

Crispy Chickpeas:

These are so easy, and you can use them to garnish anything from salads, tacos to soup.

-Marinate the chickpeas in sriracha and curry paste overnight. 

-Heat oil in a saute pan and add chickpeas (drain the chickpeas of the marinade before you add them to the oil or it will spit a lot.) Cook for about 7-8 mins on medium heat, or until desired crispiness.  Sprinkle over soup! Or anything else that suits your fancy. 

There's nothing more comforting then a bowl of soup this time of year.

Roasted Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

I'm a huge fan of pureed soup. They're so comforting this time of year. Whenever I make soup I usually throw whatever I can find into a pot and cook it. This soup was no different. I looked at what I had on hand, and worked from there. The out come was delicious.

Roasted Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup 

5 medium carrots
1 sweet potato
1/2 an onion (or 1 small onion)
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup chickpeas
1 cup coconut milk
6-7 cups veggie stock
1 tsp sriracha (This might be a lot for some people, I like mine spicy. Regular hot sauce will do)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp curry power
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ginger
pinch of cinnamon

Optional additional vegetables to roast: squash, pumpkin, zucchini, turnips, parsnips

Optional seasonings: red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, chili powder, ground nutmeg, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, smoked paprika, natural peanut butter

Directions:

Pre-Heat oven to 400F

1. Peel and cut the carrots and sweet potato into equal size pieces (no bigger then 1.5")
Place in oven safe dish and drizzle with approx. 2 tbsp of canola oil.
Sprinkle with whatever spices you like (I used sea salt and cumin)
Roast in the oven for about 30-40 mins, or until veggies are fork tender, browned, and beginning to caramelize.

2. While the veggies are roasting in the oven, you can begin the soup.
Add some oil and the chopped onion and garlic to your stock pot. Saute about 5 minutes.
Add the spices, veg stock, coconut milk, chickpeas, apple cider vinegar and siriracha
Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 mins.

3. When the soup has simmered for the 30 mins, add the roasted vegetables and simmer for another 10 mins.
I usually let my soup rest for 20 mins or so before I blend it. Make sure you blend in small batches, and don't let to much steam build up in the blender. If the soup is to thick, add more water or stock. If the soup is to spicy, add more coconut milk.

I garnished with plain yogurt, hot sauce, paprika and hemp seeds

Enjoy!