The recipe is sent in by rock star Sara. Sara plans each week's meals. When I saw this recipe on her plan, I just needed to know the recipe.
Here’s what Sara said: “The pumpkin shepherd's pie is yummy--it’s adapted from The Fresh 20 cookbook. Jason and I (and the kids) get a good dinner plus a good sized lunch out of it.”
Pumpkin Shepherd’s Pie
Filling:
1 tablespoon coconut oil
½ medium onion, rough chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch piece of ginger, grated
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon paprika
1 lb ground turkey or ground beef
2 cups baby spinach
Topping:
3 large egg whites
2 cups roasted pumpkin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
Directions for the Filling:
Preheat oven to 350. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger, and carrots, and sauté until slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Season with cumin, salt, pepper, and paprika. Add meat and brown. Toss in baby spinach to wilt, and transfer to a greased 8x8 inch baking dish.
Directions for the Topping:
Using a handheld mixer, whisk egg whites in a large bowl until stiff. In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin with the cayenne and salt. Fold in the egg whites. Spread the topping over the filling. Bake for 20 minutes until golden on top.
*Chef Sara’s notes: I made the topping with the eggs the first time, but haven't since. They make it nice and light and fluffy on top, but even without them it still tastes good. Also, I use various types of winter squash in place of the pumpkin all the time, and I probably use closer to 3 cups.
*Coach Nancy's notes: I made a sweet potato topping. I substituted 2-3 baked sweet potatoes that I pealed for the pumpkin. Everything else I kept the same. Isn't it great to have already tasted alternatives?
To your best health,
Coach Nancy
