Shepherd’s Pie
Thursday, May 31st, 2012Most of our customers order grass fed beef for health reasons. A doctor has recommended grass fed beef as an alternative source of protein for those with heart conditions. A mom has been reading into the health benefits of grass fed beef on her own. A vegetarian has chosen grass fed beef as a healthy option for her omnivorous children. Our customers might come from all different parts of Texas with completely different backgrounds, but the one thing they have in common is the desire to consume healthy, nutritious grass fed beef.
Many of the same health conscious people today are striving to live on the Primal or Paleo Diets. Both of these ways of eating encourage the consumption of grass fed meats. They also limit the consumption or even remove altogether eating starchy vegetables like potatoes. My family ate for an entire year on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet protocol, another healthy eating plan to heal one’s gut which also does not allow potatoes.
Beef and potatoes pair so well. At first it was hard, especially for my husband to not eat potatoes. You can only have so many grass fed hamburger patties with roasted vegetables before you want to expand your horizons. One of my husband’s favorite dinners is Super-Healthy Shepherd’s Pie.
Super-Healthy Shepherd’s Pie
2 pounds grass fed ground beef
1 sm onion
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cumin
2 Tbsp lime juice, freshly squeezed
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound frozen peas
2 head of cauliflower, washed and cut into florets
1 stick of butter
1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, grated
parsley flakes
Steam the cauliflower florets until fork tender. It usually takes me about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile in a pan, saute the onions in the olive oil until they are soft and translucent. Then brown the ground beef. Add the seasonings and lime juice and allow to simmer until the cauliflower is ready.
When the cauliflower is fork tender, put the florets in a large mixing bowl. Add the stick of butter and puree using a hand-held blender. Then add salt and pepper to your liking and a bit of parsley flakes. Stir well.
In a 3 qt dish, build the first layer by placing the seasoned beef and onion mixture on the bottom. Pour the frozen peas over the beef to make the second layer. Spread the mashed cauliflower as your third layer. Then the grated cheese will be your last layer. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
This recipe serves our family of seven well. It can stand alone as a dish without sides or add a nice fresh salad or green beans.
