Sweet Potato Shepherds Pie

​I once picked up a prepared Shepherds Pie at a large grocery store for an easy supper for my son. As I walked towards the cash I started reading the list of ingredients and was shocked at all the preservatives and chemicals.  How could such an easy recipe contain all these extra toxins?  Needless to say, I put it back on the shelf and went home and made my own. This recipe is even healthier than the traditional with use of sweet potato and grass fed beef. 
 
Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie
4 servings
Topping:

• 5 small or 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• ½ teaspoon (2.5ml) ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon (1.2ml) ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon (2.5ml) garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) organic ghee or butter
• ½ cup (118ml) non-dairy milk of your choice 

Bottom:

• 0.5 kg (1.1 pounds) grass fed ground beef, chicken or turkey
• 2 small onions, finely chopped
• 2 cups (500 ml) carrots, finely chopped
• 2 cups (500 ml) frozen peas, thawed
• 1 sweet yellow pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 can (156 mL/5.5 oz.) tomato paste
• ¾ cup (177ml) chicken or veggie stock

 
Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C).  Fill a large pot with water. Place sweet potatoes into water and bring to a boil. Cook for 12 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
 
Transfer potatoes to a food processor if you want the top nice and smooth or use an immersion blender to puree the potatoes. A potato masher also works. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic powder, ghee or butter and non-dairy milk of your choice to the potatoes. Set aside.
In a large frying pan, on medium heat sauté the ground meat until no longer pink. Once done, set aside on a plate. In the same pan with heat on medium, cook onions. After a few minutes, add carrots and cook for 5 more minutes. Next add the yellow pepper and cook for 2 more minutes and then the thawed peas, garlic, fresh herbs and finally the ground meat. Mix until combined. Add the tomato paste and veggie stock mixing it well into the ground meat mixture. Remove from heat and spoon evenly into an 8” x 10” baking dish
Spoon sweet potato mixture on top.  Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.