I had some Japanese sweet potatoes and rutabaga from my CSA vegetables this week, both of which I had never cooked before. I also had a couple leftover carrots and scallions and wanted to use those up as well. I found a vegetarian shepard’s pie recipe and figured I would give it a shot. Plus I’m sort of stuck inside due to the hurricane, so I had a whole bunch of time to kill…

Ingredients:
(Adapted from Dula Notes)

1 cup lentils (I buy mine pre-cooked from Trader Joes)
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 large rutabaga, peeled and cubed
1 large onion, chopped (I used half an onion and my leftover scallions)
2 small carrots
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can corn
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt and pepper to taste

Peel and chop the sweet potato and rutabaga. Toss them both in a salted pot of boiling water. I wasn’t sure what either of these would taste like. The Japanese (white) sweet potato doesn’t taste like your regular sweet potato, it was almost like a normal potato and a sweet potato had a baby. And the rutabaga is from the turnip family. Mashed together they were really great!

While the potatoes and rutabaga are cooking, chop your onions (and/or scallions) garlic, and carrots. Once the potatoes/rutabaga are fork tender, put them in a big bowl, add your milk and butter, and mash away!

Add your oil to the pot and throw in the onions and garlic, cook one minute. Next mix in the carrots, cumin, thyme, and lentils.

Add the worcestershire, tomato paste, and 1 cup of water. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for a few minutes.

Put your lentil mixture on the bottom layer of your dish. Spread the corn next, then top with your potato and rutabaga mash. Put in oven on 375 for 25-30mins.

This came out really great. And it’s healthy too! So I didn’t feel as bad later when I ate a dozen cookies…….