Skinny Sneaky Greens Shepherd's Pie {Gluten Free and Paleo}
Here's a recipe for you just in time for Saint Patrick's Day! And it goes perfectly with all that beer you, errr, I plan to drink, but won't make you feel quite as guilty as that beer will. But first a little story about my history with shepherd's pie.
It wasn't until about three years ago that I even knew what shepherd's pie was. I had my first taste of shepherd's pie at a friends house on Saint Patrick's day and I was hooked. Something about the mix of meat and potatoes (Adam's favorite combination of foods). But me, I like the peas! Why do peas get such a bad rap? They really are quite delicious. I'll never get why people don't like to eat their peas.
When Adam and I started eating paleo it was super simple to transition shepherd's pie into a paleo shepherd's pie by subbing mashed cauliflower for the potatoes. And while we have sort of made it a hobby of going to Irish / English restaurants on the hunt for the best shepherd's pie in town (there's not a lot to do where we live), I always come back to the conclusion that my shepherd's pie is the best.
But up until recently, I never really followed a recipe. I just kind of winged it. Then I came across my friend Gina's recipe from So Let's Hang Out and everything changed. It's perfection. I've made it quite a few times and I finally came up with a variation of it that I want to share with you! Gina mixes in kale and spinach to her cauli mash, but I keep getting mustard greens in my farmer's box and I needed to be a little bit sneakier to get Adam to eat those. So I chopped them small and added them to the meat. The same green veggie that Adam called "seaweed" and ate around the week before he happily ate in this shepherd's pie.
I hope you enjoy this sneaky greens, skinny shepherd's pie as much as Adam and I do. And it's paleo and gluten free! With this shepherd's pie this Saint Patrick's day you only have to feel guilty for all the beer you drink, not the food you eat!
Skinny Sneaky Greens Shepherd's Pie
Adapted from So Let's Hang Out
6-8 Servings
1 pound grass-fed beef (if not using grass-fed use lean ground beef)
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 onion, diced
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch of mustard greens, chopped into tiny pieces (about 1 heaping cup chopped)
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1/ 4 teaspoon sweet paprika
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
1 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
dash of worcestershire
1 cup peas (thawed)
Cauli Mash:
1 large head cauliflower
1 tablespoon butter (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup greek yogurt*
1 tablespoon half and half*
*To make this truly paleo and dairy free sub 1/4 cup veggie or chicken broth or coconut milk
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
And olive oil to a large pan or dutch oven. Add chopped carrots and onions. Cook for about 10 minutes until onions are translucent.
Once onions are translucent, add meat to the pan and brown. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drain any oil. With the grass-fed beef I just need to take a paper towel and blot some of the oil out of the pan. Add the chopped mustard greens and minced garlic. Cook for 2 minutes until they begin to wilt and garlic browns. Add the thyme, rosemary, paprika, dash of worcestershire, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, and 1 cup beef broth. Mix well.
Allow the mixture to cook down and the sauce to thicken, about 10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. This is an important step! You will need to add salt to your liking. Add the peas and cook for 1 more minute.
While all this is happening, heat up a some water in a large pot with a steamer basket. Once water is boiling add the whole head of cauliflower. Cook for 20 - 30 minutes until very tender.
Spread meat mixture in a medium sized glass baking pan or a large oven safe skillet.
Carefully remove steamed cauliflower and cut away leaves and large stems. Add cauliflower florets, along with small stems, to a food processor. Add butter (if using), salt, pepper, and greek yogurt or liquid of your choice. Again, you will want to make sure you add salt and pepper! Take the cauliflower for a whirl in the food processor, add additional liquid (half and half or whatever your preference) until a good consistency is reached. Mashed cauliflower will be thinner than regular mashed potatoes.
Spread mashed cauliflower over meat mixture. Sprinkle with sweet paprika if desired.
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes until top begins to turn golden.
Enjoy the best shepherd's pie you've ever had packed with sneaky greens!
Love, Luck, Happiness, and Happy Saint Patrick's Day!