The British classic gets a vegetarian makeover with mushrooms and cauliflower. The result is a delicious low carb vegetarian shepherd’s pie recipe that the whole family will love!
Shepherd’s pie was a classic that many households in Australia and Britain grew up with and started as a way for people to make left-over scraps of meat and vegetables into a delicious meal.
As with so many peasant dishes, it is hard to beat in terms of flavour.
In my vegan shepherd’s pie recipe I’ve used mushrooms in place of meat. If you’re a regular reader you’ll know I love mushrooms.
Not only are they amazingly versatile, they are also good for you as well.
And this month I’m working with Australian Mushroom Growers Association to promote mushrooms as a wonderful food for heart health.
Here are some interesting facts on how mushrooms are beneficial for a healthy heart:
- Mushrooms contain a type of fibre that naturally helps to lower blood cholesterol
- Mushrooms are low in fat, sodium and kilojoules, helping to control weight and blood pressure.
- Mushrooms, along with vegetables, help to reduce the risk of heart disease.
- Research shows that eating mushrooms can help to lower the bad cholesterol in the blood, which can help prevent narrowing of the arteries.
While the health benefits of mushrooms are a plus, they are always a staple in our house because of their delicious versatility.
It’s funny to think that my once mushroom hating husband now regularly requests mushroom meals such as my mushroom quinoa burgers, vegan mushroom alfredo and mushroom soup.
Continuing the makeover of my vegan shepherd’s pie I’ve used cauliflower in place of potato, which works hand in hand with mushrooms healthy heart benefits, thanks to the sulforaphane in cauliflower.
Sulforaphane has been found to significantly improve blood pressure and kidney function. It also makes this a wonderful low-carb dish that is also significantly less stodgy than the original.
Be sure to check out the Power of Mushrooms website from the Australian Mushroom Growers Association for more amazing recipes and ideas for using fresh mushrooms!
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Mushroom and Cauliflower Vegan Shepherds Pie
Ingredients
- 650 g cauliflower (1 1/2 pounds)
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 medium sized carrots peeled and diced
- 1 celery stalk diced
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 10 g dried wild mushrooms reconstituted in 2 1/2 tbs boiling water (1/3 oz)
- 500 g mushrooms diced (1 pound)
- 1 tbs thyme leaves roughly chopped
- 1 tbs tomato paste
- 1/4 cup red wine
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbs dijon mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp thyme leaves
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 celsius (400 fahrenheit).
- Chop the cauliflower into roughly equal sized pieces and add to a large saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Season with salt and cook the cauliflower until tender. Drain.
- Place a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion, carrots and celery. Cook until slightly golden and caramelised. Add the mushrooms in 6 parts, making sure each batch is cooked before adding the next.
- Remove the wild mushrooms from the boiling water, reserving the water, and roughly chop. Add to the mushrooms along with the tomato paste. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the red wine. Cook until the red wine has almost evaporated before adding the mushroom soaking liquid and vegetable stock. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes or until roughly half of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat.
- Place the cauliflower in a food processor or high powered blender along with 2 tbs olive oil, the nutritional yeast, mustard, salt and thyme leaves. Blend until smooth and taste. Adjust seasonings as required and add the nutmeg and blend for a further minute.
- Divide the mushrooms between 4 large ramekins and top with the cauliflower mash. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden.
Notes
Nutrition
DISCLOSURE: This post was sponsored by Australian Mushroom Growers Association as part of their Mushrooms for Heart Health campaign. All opinions are my own. I just love mushrooms!
