Vegan Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

• Onions

  Raw

  1 medium or 110g

• Garlic

  Raw

  2 cloves, minced or 6g

• Lentils

  Raw

  1 ½ cup or 288g

• Organic Vegetable Stock

  Low Sodium - Trader Joe's

  4 cup or 960g

• Thyme

  Spices, dried

  2 tsp, leaves or 2g

• Olive oil

  Salad or cooking

  1 tbsp or 14g

• Mixed vegetables

  Frozen, unprepared

  1 package (10 oz) or 284g

• Potato

  Flesh and skin, raw

  4 potato, large or 1.48kg

• Smart balance light buttery spread

  Margarine-like spread

  3 tbsp or 42g

• Salt

  Table

  1 dash or 0.4g

• Pepper

  Spices, black

  1 dash or 0.1g

Directions

1. Slice any large potatoes in half, place in a large pot and fill with water until they’re just covered. Bring to a low boil on medium high heat, then generously salt, cover and cook for 20-30 minutes or until they slide off a knife very easily.
2. Once cooked, drain, add back to the pot to evaporate any remaining water, then transfer to a mixing bowl. Use a masher, pastry cutter or large fork to mash until smooth. Add vegan butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Loosely cover and set aside.
3. While potatoes are cooking, preheat oven to 425 degrees F and lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish (or comparable sized dish, such as 9x13 pan).
4. In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until lightly browned and caramelized - about 5 minutes. Add a pinch each salt and pepper. Then add lentils, stock, thyme and stir. Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Continue cooking until lentils are tender (35-40 minutes). In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the frozen veggies, stir, and cover to meld the flavors together.
5. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Then transfer to your prepared oven-safe baking dish and carefully top with mashed potatoes. Smooth down with a spoon or fork and season with another crack of pepper and a little salt.
6. Place on a baking sheet to catch overflow and bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are lightly browned on top.
7. Let cool briefly before serving. The longer it sits, the more it will thicken. Let cool completely before covering, and then store in the fridge for up to a few days. Reheats well in the microwave.