I haven’t written in a while, and I’ve missed you! I was doing my Women’s Weight Loss Workshop for the last 6 weeks, and it was really hard to stay on top of that, this site, and everything else I do in my life. The class went really well with 2 lectures every week plus Q&A sessions. 300 lovely women signed up to change their lives, and I’ve gotten some great feedback so far! Sometime soon, I’ll be able to offer it to you, as well. Stay tuned for that!

Anyhoo, I’m back now, and I have a great recipe for you.

We all want comfort foods when we start a new way of eating, and Paleo Shepherd’s Pie is just that for me. Hopefully I’ve done this recipe justice, making it Paleo compliant AND delicious all at the same time. It’s free of dairy, grain, soy, vegetable oils, and even potatoes. We made this dish this past Christmas (the next day we ate Pot Pies – talk about a comfort food bonanza…) and it was awesome. Loved it.

Now, I want to clear something up before I go any further, and that’s about the peas in the recipe.

Are Peas Paleo?

I know: they’re legumes OMG! But the legumes we’re trying to avoid on Paleo are the old, dried up variety like black beans, lentils, and things like that. Foods you have to bring back to life with hot water. Young, green legumes like green peas, snap peas, and green beans have fewer anti-nutrients in them due to their age, and we’re not even eating that many of them, unlike if we were to have a steamy pile of lentils along with our meal.

So the peas are A-OK to eat, plus they’re comforting, and thus they’re in this recipe

Speaking of the recipe, here it is.

Paleo Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

Serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

Mashed cauliflower makes an excellent substitute for traditional potatoes in this recipe, although you can sub sweet potatoes if you like as well. Made with rich, grass-fed beef and vegetables, this is an easy and healthy alternative to a classic comfort food.

Ingredients

• 1 pound grass-fed ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into small cubes
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 Tbs tomato paste
• 1 cup chicken or beef stock
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup canned full fat coconut milk
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the beef, onion, carrot, and garlic.

3. Cook until beef is no longer pink and drain the fat from the pan. Transfer back to the stove and add the thyme, tomato paste, and stock. Bring to a boil, and simmer until liquid is reduced by about half. Add the peas and transfer the mixture to a casserole dish.

4. In the meantime, put the cauliflower florets in a steamer pot with ample water at the bottom. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until very tender. Drain water and place back into pot and add the coconut milk and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and mash until very smooth, using a food processor if necessary.

5. Spread the cauliflower mixture over the beef and bake for 25-30 minutes until top is browned. You can broil the top for a minute or two if you like it to be very browned.

6. Serve hot and enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Serves 4

• Calories 383
• Total Fat 15.4g
• Total Carbohydrates 12.4g
• Dietary Fiber 4.3g
• Sugars 5.4g
• Protein 47.9g