Shepherd’s Pie with Sweet Potatoes

Entrees.
Who says comfort foods can't be good for you? This version swaps regular potatoes with sweet potatoes, so it’s packed with the antioxidant beta-carotene. Feel free to substitute ground turkey or chicken for lean ground beef.

Shepherd’s Pie with Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
1 tbsp / 15 ml margarine or butter
1 tbsp / 15 ml olive oil
2 cups / 500 ml finely diced onion
2 cups / 500 ml sliced mushrooms
2 lb / 900 g lean ground beef
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup / 250 ml sodium-reduced beef stock
1 tbsp / 15 ml flour
1 tsp / 5 ml Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp / 2 ml coarse sea salt, or to taste
freshly gound black pepper, to taste
pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
1.5 cups / 375 ml corn kernels, fresh, frozen or canned (no added salt)

Directions

Preheat over to 375ºF (190ºC).

Fill a large saucepan with 4 inches (10 cm) of water. Bring to a boil. Add sweet potatoes and continue to boil until sweet potatoes are tender and can easily be pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.

Drain sweet potatoes and place them in a large mixing bowl. Using a potato masher, mash sweet potatoes with margarine until smooth. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat; when pan is hot, add onions and mushrooms; sauté for 15 minutes, or until onions and mushrooms begin to brown.

Increase heat to medium-high and add beef. Using a spatula, break up beef; continue to sauté until beef is cooked through and begins to brown, about 15 minutes.

Add garlic; sauté for another minute.

In a small bowl, whisk together stock and flour; add skillet with beef. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to skillet; continue to sauté until stock and flour begin to thicken, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Empty beef mixture into a 13 x 9 (3.5 L) glass casserole dish; spread evenly so it covers bottom of dish. Evenly spread corn over beef mixture. Using a spatula, evenly spread sweet potatoes on top so they cover corn and beef mixture. Place in oven and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Serves 8.

Nutrition: Per serving: 347 cal, 28 g pro, 12 g total fat (4 g saturated fat), 32 g carb, 4 g fibre, 62 mg chol, 356 mg sodium.

Source: Leslie Beck's Healthy Kitchen