Healthier Shepherd’s Pie

🍀Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!!! 🍀

Being part Irish, I feel that it’s my duty to celebrate this holiday, whole heartedly, every. Single. Year!!! Luckily we were able to get a sitter this year and go out to do it right, but I love making a special dish each year to celebrate and still wanted to eat as healthy as possible today since I’ll be drinking a few extra calories tonight 😁

This is a fun healthy twist on the traditional Shepherd’s pie I grew up eating.

Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

For the filling

• 1 lb lean beef or lamb (or Elk in this case)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3-4 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 8 oz chopped mushrooms
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp Rosemary
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 bottle of Guinness beer (plus more to drink with the meal!)

For the topping

•  1 large (or 2 small) sweet potato
• 1/4 cup almond milk, unsweetened
• 1 tsp Rosemary
• 1 tsp chili powder

  

 
Start by preheating the oven to 375. Cube up the sweet potato an lightly toss in a little olive oil and sprinkle with S&P. Place it I. The oven until fork tender- about 20 minutes, or just leave them in there while you’re making the rest of the pie like I did! 

 
In a large deep skillet or a ditch oven, start browning the meat in a tablespoon of olive oil. I used ground elk today because we have a lot of it in our freezer, thanks to my awesome father in law, and because it’s as grass fed, hormone free, no anything-bad-for-you added meat I could get my hands on! Ha!  

 While that starts browning, chop the onion and carrots and garlic and add them to the meat when it’s almost all browned. I like to salt and pepper things as I go instead of adding a set amount of each at the end, so go ahead and sprinkle some on at this time. 

While that starts cooking, chop the zucchini and mushrooms then add them to the mix. Salt and pepper again. 

 

Stirring often, let this cook, covered, until the carrots are tender. When they are, add in the tomato paste, Rosemary and chili powder. I don’t use tomato paste too often and when I do, the recipe usually only calls for part of the can and hate eating food (and money) so I freeze the rest in silicone ice cube trays and save for later. The cubes thaw in the microwave in about 10 seconds. 

 

Stir until the paste is completely incorporated and let cook an additional 2 minutes before adding the Guinness. This is also a great time to taste test and see how much more salt and/or pepper you need.   

 Now, the best part! Guinness!

  
No, you don’t have to use Guinness, but why wouldn’t you?! No St. Pattys Day is complete without Guinness!

Crack that baby open and pour half of it into the meat mixture and the other half into a glass! 

 
Or at least that’s what I thought at first…. I soon realized I needed the whole bottle to make enough “gravy” for the pie 🙁 

 
Good thing I bought a 6 pack!!! 

 
Back to the recipe… Once all of the beer is mixed in, pour all of the mixture into a casserole dish. 
 

If you haven’t already, take the sweet potatoes out of the oven and put them into the bowl of a stand mixer, if you have one (if not, a hand mixer will work fine), add the almond milk and spices and mix until light and fluffy, then carefully spread over the meat mixture and place in the oven for 15 minutes and the edges are bubbling. 

  

 

Serve with a freshly poured Guinness! 

Let me know what you think of the version of Shepherd’s Pie and stay safe tonight! Cheers!

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