vegetarian shepherd's pie

this is my vegetarian version of shepherd's pie. it is SOO tasty, and makes great cold-weather comfort food.

this recipe is easy to make, and easy to change - for example i have my go-to gravy recipe, but if you prefer your recipe, or even one of those easy-peasy packs of gravy you mix with water, be my guest!

it's certainly not all that traditional, but it's a well-balanced vegetarian meal, and that counts for a LOT in my mind!

ingredients:

1 9" pie shell (could be gluten free!)
3 or 4 medium potatoes (about 2 c)
milk, butter, garlic - whatever you like in your mashed potatoes (i just add 1 T garlic)
1 large can of beans (540 ml or more)
1 1/2 c chopped veggies (onions, peppers, mushrooms, whatever you like)
1 c grated cheese

gravy:
2 T garlic
dash of hot sauce if you like
1 c broth (or 1 c hot water and a cube of bullion)
1 t mustard
2 T soy sauce
1/8 c nutritional yeast (optional, but it's a thickener, and adds great flavour)
fresh black pepper
1 T corn starch

to make:

peel, boil and mash potatoes. make them how you like them! you want to end up with about 2 c mashed potatoes.

drain your beans well. i normally use kidney beans for this recipe, but i only had a bean blend handy, and that works great too.

pour the beans into a bowl and mash them up a bit. i use a meat tenderizer (why do i have a meat tenderizer?? GOOD QUESTION! no idea)... they don't need to be totally mush, just busted up a little.

mix gravy ingredients in a bowl: garlic, hot sauce, broth, mustard, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, pepper and corn starch.

chop your veggies and throw them in a frying pan. onions are key, but feel free to substitute for other things.

fry them until they are good and soft, then add the beans. mix well.

add the gravy. stir over med-low heat until the beans are hot and the gravy has thickened up. about 5 minutes.

pour the veggie/bean mix into the pie shell

and top with potatoes

and finally, cheese.

bake at 380 for about 45 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and brown!

enjoy!