Sheperd’s pie without beef?

A neat concept.  Will it work?  Sure why not?

What about using lentils as the base for the sheperd’s pie and adding some onion, corn and black beans?  Doesn’t sound terrible does it?

We need the middle vegetable layer?  How about broccoli, spinach, carrots and cauliflower?  Topped with some feta cheese…. now we are talking people now we are talking.

Don’t forget the top… whipped potatoes.  The classic.  Well done with a nice crust.

How does this look?

I will tell you one thing… well maybe two.  This little pie tasted a whole lot better than it looked.  Great combination of flavors and texture and honestly nobody missed the beef.  Everyone at the table had seconds which means it was more than edible.

It was damn good!

Ingredients

• 1 19 oz can of lentils, drained and rinsed
• 1 19 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup corn, frozen
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 Tsp. Oregano
• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 4 medium Potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 1 Tsp. Pepper

Method

1. Prepare a 9 *13 pan with a little butter to prevent sticking.  Preheat oven to 375.
2. In a medium skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and start sauteing the onion.  Give it about 4 minutes to become translucent.
3. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper.  Add lentils, black beans and corn and begin to saute.  Just long enough to warm them through and have the flavors combine.
4. After 3 minutes, toss in the spinach and let wilt.
5. Pour the lentil and bean mixture into the prepared pan and smooth out with a spoon.
6. In the same pan, let’s flash fry the frozen vegetables and hit them with a little flavor.  Throw them back in the hot pan, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and oregano.  On high heat let them cook for 2 minutes, constantly stirring.
7. Remove form the pan and pour over the lentil base.
8. Add the feta cheese layer on top.
9. Now spoon over the cooked mashed potatoes and smooth out with a spatula.  Sprinkle with black pepper.
10. Cook for about 35-45 minutes until golden brown.  I like to turn it on broil for the last few minutes to create that crust.
11. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip:  This would be a great place to use some fresh vegetables from your garden.  I used frozen vegetables which definitely was the weakest link in the dish.

Have a super Wednesday!  I am working on a fun project and will be sure to share with you on Friday what it is all about.  Hint…. It is something you can buy and use in your home everyday and it is created by me.  Fill you in on Friday.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

You read the title… but you will never guess what I am about to write next.

Well Yes – the lasagna was good but guess who ate it?  The pickiest eater on the planet – zesty junior.  He gave it two thumbs up!

I was in shock and it was pretty hard to wipe the smile off my face.  Every now and again, life is full of surprises and this dinner was no different.

The rich, creamy flavor of this lasagna was so comforting.  The hint of balsamic, the splash of basil followed up with the creaminess of both the ricotta and cottage cheese definitely keeps this recipe in the re do pile for future.

 Ingredients

• 8 oz. Lean Ground Beef
• 1 Cup Chopped onion
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tsp. minced garlic
• 1 Tsp. Dried Oregano
• 1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
• 1 19oz Can of tomatoes, pureed
• 1/3 Cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 Tsp. Black pepper
• 15 uncooked whole wheat lasagna noodles
• 2 Cups Part-skim Ricotta cheese
• 3 Cups Spinach, baby
• 1 Egg
• 2 Cups Mozzarella, grated
• 1 Cup cottage cheese

Method

1. Spray a 9*13 -inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 375 Degrees
3. To start the sauce, add olive oil, onions and garlic to a deep dish pot over medium- high heat.
4. Let cook until onions begin to caramelize before adding the beef – about 5 minutes.
5. Add in beef and continue to cook until no longer pink.
6. Add balsamic, oregano, black pepper, tomato paste and continue cooking until fragrant – about 3 minutes.
7. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil and then let reduce about 15 minutes to thicken up.
8. In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, basil and the egg.  Mix together and set aside
9. After the sauce has thickened, stir in spinach until it wilts.  You are now ready for assembly.
10. Ladle a spoonful  of sauce to the bottom of the prepared baking dish.  Then top with a row of uncooked noodles.  Smear the top of the noodles with more sauce, followed by the ricotta cheese mixture and a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese.  Then add another layer of noodles repeating the process until you have three layers of noodles.
11. To finish off the dish, layer the top row of noodles with sauce followed by the mozzarella cheese.
12. Bake at 375 for about 35- 45 minutes.  Let lasagna stand for 10-15 minutes before cutting.
13. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip:  A couple of tips with this one…. you want to ensure the top row of noodles get covered with both sauce and cheese to avoid the noodle from drying out and becoming like cardboard.  You also want to really let the lasagna stand before cutting or all the juices/sauce will run free and the consistency will not be as good.

On top of Zesty Junior consuming a dinner consisting other than cheese or flour – he also made dessert.  A dollop of plain Greek yogurt topped with fresh berries.  A great way to finish off a delicious dinner with family.

Well that is all for now.  If you are looking for the trail mix ball recipes and gave them a try since Monday.  There were a couple of errors in the ingredient list on my part.  They have since been updated and rave reviews are flowing in.

Hope you have a great Wednesday and I will see you on Friday.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

Vegetables.

Beans.

Tomatoes.

Few things are as comforting as a warm, steaming bowl of chili.  This vegetarian version is packed with so much flavor you will not notice the “missing” meat.  You will notice the familiar rustic flavors, the earthy sweetness of the sweet potatoes and the colorful nutrition they bring to your table.

What makes a good chili for you?  For me it is all about texture and flavor.  This dish will keep you smiling from ear to ear as you bite into the sweet onion, crisp corn, tender sweet potato, you hit the smokey chili powder and touch your tongue on the cinnamon sour cream.

 Ingredients

•  2 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
• 1 Large onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper
• 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp. Chili powder
• 1 Tbsp. Dried oregano
• 2 Cups frozen corn
• 1 14 oz. Can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 14 oz. Can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 28 oz, can tomatoes,  diced
• 1 Sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1/2 Cup Sour cream
• 1 Tsp. Cinnamon
• Sprinkle of salt
• 1 Cup of Cilantro sprigs
• 2 Green onions, thinly sliced

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large pan/pot over medium -high heat.  Toss in the onions and green pepper and saute, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to brown, 6-8 minutes.
2. Stir in the garlic, cumin seeds, chili powder, and oregano.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until the spices are very fragrant, about 2 minutes.
3. Stir in corn, black beans and kidney beans.  Add the juice from the tomatoes and then add the tomatoes as well.
4. Add the sweet potatoes and bring to a gentle boil.  Reduce the  heat so the liquid is barely simmering.  Simmer, stirring frequently, until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chili begins to thicken, 20-25 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, stir together the sour cream and cinnamon.  Just before serving, season the chili with salt to taste.
6. Ladle in serving bowls and top with sour cream, cilantro and fresh green onions.
7. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip:  Feel free to experiment with different vegetables you have on hand.  This would work really well with parsnip as a substitute for the sweet potato.

A great one pot dish for the family to enjoy or even a dish to whip up on Sunday and eat through out the week for lunches. 

Have a super weekend and a great weekend.  Please let there be SUN.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty