With St. Patrick’s day right around the corner, I figured this week would be as good as any to share this lightened up version of a classic dish. I grew up eating Shepherd’s Pie and my Dad pretty much taught me that keeping it light (like this recipe), doesn’t mean it’s light in flavor. I added a little heat to the meat to take it up a notch!
Ingredients:
•1.5 – 2 pounds of yukon gold potatoes, peeled
•1 bag of frozen vegetables (the soup mix with peas, corn, carrots, and lima beans is a good option, I only had corn on hand)
•1.5 pounds organic grass fed beef, preferably 90%/10%
•3/4 cup low sodium chicken stock
•2-3 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt
•salt, pepper, garlic powder
•crushed red pepper flakes, 1-2 pinches depending on preferred heat level
•1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Directions:
1. Take out the frozen vegetables and place them on the counter to thaw and then preheat the oven to 400º.
2.. Chop the potatoes into equal size pieces and place them in a large pot. Cover with water, put the lid on and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling, lower the heat to a simmer.
3. While the potatoes are coming to a boil, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add in the ground beef, breaking it up into crumbles while it is browning. Season the ground beef with salt, pepper, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, and red pepper flakes. Stir occasionally until cooked through and crumbly.
4. Once the potatoes are soft (prick with a fork and if it slides through easily, they are done), drain the water from the pot, add in the chicken stock and the Greek yogurt and mash by hand. Add more stock if needed but be careful not to over do it. Once they are mashed to the consistency that you like (I prefer them a little clumpy for this dish), season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
5. In a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray, layer the ground beef, thawed vegetables, top with the mashed potatoes and a sprinkle of black pepper. Bake for 25 minutes uncovered, and then broil on low for a few minutes at the end to brown the top of the potatoes.
6. Let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Jaclyn McDevitt Health & Fitness 