Shepherd's Pie So Good, You Can't Tell It's Vegan!

~Ok, So We Ate Most of It Before I Got to Taking Pictures, So It's a Bit of a Mess!~

Shepherd's pie is one of those meals that I always loooove. As a kid, my parents would make it and even if they made enough for double the people, there was never enough. Thick, wonderful mashed potatoes with melted cheese on top, put under the broiler for just long enough to make it crispy, then the corn, and finally, ground beef, seasoned with taco mix, maybe with a few mushrooms mixed in for fun. That was our version, but there are almost as many versions of Shepherd's Pie as there are of apple pie, pumpkin pie - you get the idea. When I found out I was allergic to corn, and also didn't want to have meat, it seemed this all-time favorite was out of my life for good. Then came a wonderful book called "125 Best Slow Cooker Recipes" by Judith Finlayson. I have to say that everyone should get this book, as it is filled with great ideas for lots of wonderful recipes - even desserts and breads! Although I can't have a lot of them due to being allergic to many of the ingredients, this one stood out - a Lentil Shepherd's pie. I changed it a bit to my tastes and allergies and what I got was nothing short of amazing! Cooked in a slow cooker, it is a two pot dish - one frying pan for preparation work, then the slow cooker ceramic. Easy as, well, pie! It's so good, you'll forget it's vegan! It's also gluten free, corn free, dairy free (use a cheese substitute), egg free, soy free, meatless, high in fiber, vitamins, and nutrients.
Note: try to chop the veggies into approximately the same size. It helps with texture, and flavor.

Shepherd's Pie with Lentils (Modified from a Recipe by Judith Finlayson)

Crust:
2-3 Large Yukon Gold Potatoes
1/2 cup Grated Cheese/Substitute
1/4 cup Vegetable Bouillon Water (Optional, if potatoes are dry when mashed)

Pie:
1/2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion, chopped
2-3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
2 Medium Carrots, chopped
2 Stalks Celery, chopped
4-6 Stuffer Mushrooms, coarsely chopped
Pinch of Sea Salt (up to 1/2 tsp)
Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste (about 1/2 tsp)
1/2 tsp dried Thyme (double if fresh)
1/2 tsp dried Oregano (double if fresh)
1 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 cup Vegetable Bouillon Water
1 Can Diced Tomatoes
1/2 cup Green Lentils, Rinsed
1/4 Cup Red Lentils, Rinsed
1/2 cup Ketchup - this is the secret ingredient!!

Poke holes in the potatoes and microwave until cooked. Mash in a bowl, adding bouillon water if necessary, and set aside - be careful, they are hot!!
In a large pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, mushrooms and celery and saute for 5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the herbs, spices, salt and pepper and saute for another 5 minutes, until vegetables are softened. Add the lentils, tomatoes, stock and ketchup and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and CAREFULLY pour into slow cooker ceramic, being careful not to splash it - it's very hot! Top with potatoes, sprinkle cheese/substitute over the potatoes. Cover with lid and cook on low for3-4 hours, or high for 1-1/2 -3 hours, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the cheese (if using) is melted and bubbly. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Serves 3-4 as a large main dish, or 6-8 as an accompaniment to a larger meal. Add a salad for a great dinner.
Enjoy!

Zucchini, Tomato and Mushroom Saute

~The Incomparable Saute in All its Glory!~

The other night my fiance called and said he was going over to a friend's house for a 'night with the boys' which meant that I'd be alone for dinner. I really don't mind actually, because it means I can experiment without wrinkled noses or funny (actually hilarious) comments about how healthy food will be my undoing. You see, when I looked into my fridge, I saw that I had some wonderful cherry tomatoes just picked from my gardens, and two lovely small zucchini (which he is not a fan of, lol) that just begged to be eaten right then! I would have just sauteed the zucchini lightly in some olive oil, but I was hungry. Really hungry. So I grabbed a bunch of other healthy ingredients and had a blast! I t was delicious, and you can bet I'll make it again - with or without the comments from my peanut gallery :)
This is gluten free, dairy free (use a cheese substitute), corn free, soy free, egg free, vegan and vegetarian.

Meghann's Zucchini, Tomato and Mushroom Saute

1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic, Crushed and finely diced
2 small Zucchini, sliced in 1/4 inch slices
6 Cherry Tomatoes, sliced
2 Medium Stuffer Mushrooms, sliced thinly
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
Grated Cheese (or Substitute) for Garnish

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat, and add the garlic. Saute for 2 minutes and add the mushrooms and zucchini. Saute for another 5 minutes, or until the zucchini is starting to get soft. Add the cherry tomatoes and add some freshly ground black pepper, and sea salt, if desired, to taste. When zucchini is at desired tenderness, remove to a plate, top with grated cheese (or substitute) and enjoy!