Okay, so it’s not so cold here right now but when I started working on this post it was freezing. Welcome to Texas, folks!

One of my favorite people in the world came to visit last month and I was delighted! My extended family has always lived half way across the country so we see each other maybe once a year. Twice was a really good year! Needless to say, I was thrilled that my Aunt was coming for some sister time with my Mama and the kids and I decided to plan a feast for her.

My cousin is one year and a day younger than me and we have always joked that they switched us as babies because our personalities definitely resemble the other’s parent. Remarkably so.  Now, my Mama has always guided me spiritually but my Aunt and I have this different connection. When we start sharing about God – thoughts, experiences, feelings, we’re on this crazy multidimensional plane as though our Spirits are sitting together, drinking a cup of tea and nodding “Amen’s”. I pray my kids have a Spiritual Mentor that’s not me. Someone else they can go to with questions, doubts, fears, joys and just sit with in love. Don’t get me wrong, of course I want them to come to me. But I definitely want them to have that special one. The outsider from their daily lives that can be their sounding board that will feed them Truth. No sugar coating. Simply hard, beautiful Truth. I never knew I wanted this for my kids until I reflected back on this part of my life with my Aunt.

When I shared with the kids that she was coming, I asked what we should make and Noah immediately replied, “Shepherd’s Pie!”. I was quite surprised as I had only played with this recipe a few times and he was so excited. But Shepherd’s Pie it was and it turned out AH-mazing! She and my mom have both made it since, they loved it so much.

+++This recipe is time consuming if made all at once. This savory pie journey began using leftover “mashed potatoes”. I recommend either preparing this all at once on a weekend afternoon or using your leftover mashed potatoes the next day in this delicious dish!

Shepherd’s Pie

Paleo “Mashed Potatoes”

ingredients
1 head of cauliflower
2 medium japanese yams (if you can’t find these you can sub another half a cauliflower or un-paleo it with3-4 yukon golds)
1 TBL organic olive oil 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup of chicken broth
1/4 cup of organic or grassfed butter
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp garlic pepper

Chop cauliflower and potatoes into 1 1/2″ pieces. Boil for approximately 13 minutes. Strain. On medium, sauté minced garlic in olive oil for two minutes. Add the cauliflower and potatoes back to the pot as well as broth, butter, salt and garlic pepper. Use immersion blender for smoothest potatoes. If you don’t have one, you can mash by hand or carefully transfer to a blender and pulse a few times. Enjoy with any meal but save 3/4 for your pie!

Savory Ground Turkey

ingredients
2 TBL olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 lb turkey (this is interchangeable with any meat, chicken, lamb, etc)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp garlic pepper

Sauté onions in olive oil over medium. After 2-3 minutes, add ground meat and sauté until browned. Stir in sea salt and garlic pepper.

Paleo Gravy

ingredients
1 onion, diced
2 TBL butter
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp garlic pepper
1 TBL tapioca starch (or arrowroot)
5 TBL almond flour
1 cup chicken broth

Sauté onion in oil over medium high, stirring quickly for about 4-5 minutes until carmelized. Traditional carmelized onions are cooked on low for 20+ minutes but who’s got time for that? Same yummy taste, just don’t turn your back on them for these few minutes. Turn heat down to medium low and add all ingredients but chicken broth. (If you have an electric stove, wait a few minutes until your burner has cooled to the lower temperature or be prepared to stir your heart out. If your burner is too hot, your flour will burn!) Stir in broth. Use your immersion blender for a smoother gravy or carefully transfer to your blender and pulse a few times until desired consistency.

Now that you have your main pie ingredients made, all you need is one small bag of frozen organic carrots and peas. In a casserole dish, add a TBL of olive oil or so (or a swish as we say at home) to coat the dish.

Layer accordingly:

Half of the Gravy

Savory Ground Meat

Peas + Carrots

Half of the Gravy

“Mashed Potatoes”

Bake at 350F until all flavors have had a dance party and gloriously become one, or approximately 30 minutes. This filling, all-in-one meal will be sure to warm your belly and your heart. I hope you and your specials enjoy this as much as we have!

In Love and Joy,
B