Butternut Squash Shepherds Pie

• Vegetarian
• Gluten free

• Produce

  • 1 cup (french lentils, dry blue
  • 3 Butternut squash (~2 1/3 lbs, Small
  • 2 Carrots
  • 1 Garlic clove
  • 1 lb Oyster mushrooms, mixed
  • 1/2 tsp Rosemary, fresh leaves
  • 1/4 tsp Sage, fresh
  • 1/4 tsp Thyme, fresh
  • 1 White onion, sweet

• Canned Goods

  • 1/2 cup Coconut milk, full-fat
  • 2 cups Water or vegetable broth

• Condiments

  • 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 tsp Black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Black pepper + more
  • 1 tsp Coriander seed, freshly ground
  • 1/4 tsp Paprika, smoked
  • 1/4 tsp Salt + more
  • 1 tsp Sea salt, coarsely ground
  • 1 tsp Sea salt + more

• Oils & Vinegars

  • 1 1/3 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Coconut oil / ghee / buttery coconut oil / (up to your preference
  • 3 tbsp Olive oil, Extra Virgin
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil

• Nuts & Seeds

  • 3/4 cup Sunflower seeds

• Drinks

  • 1/4 cup Apple cider

• Dairy

  • 1/4 lb Goat cheddar or vegan cheddar cheese like daiya, vegetarian

• Prepared

  • 2 tbsp Sauerkraut or kimchi, juice

• Liquids

  • 6 tbsp Water

Found on willfrolicforfood.com

Description

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry blue (French) Lentils
• 2 cups water or vegetable broth
• 3/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt + more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper + more to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 sweet white onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 julienned carrots
• 1/4 cup apple cider
• 1 pound mixed oyster mushrooms, foot removed
• 2 tablespoons sauerkraut or kimchi juice
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt + more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground + more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped (discard the woody stem)
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped (discard the woody stem)
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped
• 3 Small Butternut Squash (~2 1/3 lbs)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground sea salt
• 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk (room temperature)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil / ghee / buttery coconut oil / (up to your preference)
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt + more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground + more to taste
• 1 teaspoon coriander seed, freshly ground
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 pound vegetarian goat cheddar or vegan cheddar cheese like daiya

Directions

• Note: you could skip the extra step of cooking the lentils by using 2 cups pre-cooked lentils.
• Add the lentils and water/stock to a small sauce pot and cook, covered, for 15-20 minutes on medium heat. Cook just until almost no water is left in the bottom of the pot and the lentils are tender.
• In a blender, combine the sunflower seeds, olive oil, water, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Blend together until smooth and creamy, like an aioli.
• Stir the sunflower sauce into the cooked lentils. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your preference.
• Set a large 12” cast iron pan over medium high heat.
• Once hot, add the olive oil and onion.
• Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion starts to become somewhat translucent and begins to brown.
• Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, then add the carrots and apple cider and cover (leave the lid slightly ajar).
• Cook until the carrots have become tender and the cider has cooked off.
• Stir in the mushrooms and continue to cook until they have softened and shrunk and begin to brown a bit.
• Stir in the sauerkraut / kimchi juice, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme and sage.
• Cook for 1-2 minutes more, until the liquid has cooked down a bit. Cut off the heat and set the pan aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Slice the butternut squash in half lengthwise. Rub the cut sides with olive oil and salt. Place cut-side-down on the parchment lined baking sheets.
• Roast for 25-35 minutes, until the skin is browning and bubbling and a fork inserted into the squash flesh cuts like butter. My small squash needed 25 minutes but larger squash will need more time, so just keep an eye on the squash after 25 minutes.
• Remove the squash from the oven and set on the counter until cool enough to handle (10+ minutes).
• Once cool, scoop out the squash flesh into a food processor fitted with an S blade — discard the skin (or eat them as a snack, they’re delicious!).
• Combine the squash flesh with the coconut milk, coconut oil / ghee / buttery coco oil spread, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, coriander and paprika. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your preference.
• Preheat the oven to 375F.
• Spread the creamy sunflower lentils over the bottom of an oven-safe ceramic baking dish or dutch oven.
• Add the carrot and mushroom meat next.
• Then top it all off with the coconut creamed butternut squash.
• Grate cheese over top (I used a local hard goat cheese similar to asiago).
• Bake on the center rack of the oven for 35-45 minutes — just until it’s warmed all the way through and the cheese on top is melted and browning.
• Serve hot, topped with a couple sprigs of fresh sage / rosemary / thyme as you like.