Sweet Potato Crusted Sheppard’s Pie – a healthy alternative to traditional Sheppard’s Pie
Sheppard’s Pie is a favorite dish of the Irish, served on St. Patty’s day and throughout the year. In the US we tend to see it more in March but it’s a time tested comfort food that can be eaten anytime of the year.
Unfortunately, traditional Sheppard’s Pie is loaded with saturated fat, carbs and calories making it hard to fit into your clean eating plan. No need to worry though because this little twist on traditional Sheppard’s Pie is perfect for your Lifestyle Diet Plan and will have the whole family begging for more.
Sheppard’s Pie, often called Cottage Pie, is usually made with beef or lamb, loaded with fat from butter or gravy and topped with mashed white potatoes and often times cheese. This can be a tasty and high calorie dish that will surely leave you with some indigestion, wishing you had skipped the main course. My version uses lean, organic ground chicken to cut out some calories and fat (but you could also use lean organic grass fed beef). By using lower carb vegetables and some mashed sweet potatoes on top the calories are reduced and the nutrients are increased.
Try mixing up your vegetables or use ground beef instead of chicken for a different version. In addition, you could make some cauliflower mashed potatoes and mix them with regular mashed for the topping as another option or just do all cauliflower mashed for an even lighter version. Pair it along with my Grain Free Irish Soda Bread for a healthy alternative this St. Patrick’s Day.
Sweet Potato Crusted Sheppard’s Pie
1 tsp. coconut oil
4 sweet potato or yams
1 sweet onion, chopped
1½ lbs. lean ground chicken
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz mushrooms, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
Instructions:
1. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into small pieces. Bring to a boil on stovetop and let simmer 20 minutes or until soft. Blend well with a mixer until lumps are gone.
2. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat coconut oil in frying pan. Add onion and garlic and sauté about 3 minutes. Add ground chicken and begin to brown. Once chicken is almost cooked through, add mushrooms, carrots, celery and sauté until the chicken is fully cooked.
3. In a deep baking dish, layer the chicken mixture on the bottom, cover with a thin layer of mashed yams, then another layer of chicken and top with the remaining yams. Bake for about 20 minutes, then broil for 5 minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes and serve.
Serves: 8
Calories: 259
Fat: 9 g
Carbs: 24 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 20 g
For only 20 net carbs you can enjoy a portion of this and still have your Grain Free Irish Soda Bread on the side without ruining your clean eating plan. Let me know what you think and shoot me a picture on social media if you make it. Here’s a little Irish Blessing to complete your meal:
“May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields.”
Are you looking to transform your health? Mary works with clients all over the country developing personalized nutrition and exercise plans for weight loss and health. If you’re ready to get started on your journey to health and wellness contact her today!
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