Healthy Shepherd's Pie

Top Banana's Note:

Healthy Shepherd's Pie made with Chicken or Turkey. I received an email this morning on our food service professionals board (www.RestaurantBeast.com ) requesting a recipe for something on the healthier side for St. Patrick's Day and thought I'd share here. Ground turkey and ground chicken actually make a GREAT Healthy Shepherd's Pie.

• Total Time: 22 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 12 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 1

• ½ ounce olive oil or ½ ounce vegetable oil
• 2 ounces peeled chopped carrots
• 3 ounces chopped yellow onions
• 1 ounce chopped red bell pepper
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 5 -6 ounces ground turkey or 5 -6 ounces chicken
• ½ pinch fennel seed
• 1 pinch fresh thyme
• 1 pinch fresh rosemary
• 1 pinch fresh sage
• 1 pinch lemon pepper
• 1 dash soy sauce
• 1 dash balsamic vinegar
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon frozen green pea
• 3 -4 ounces grated low-fat cheddar cheese
• 2 -3 ounces grated parmesan cheese or 2 -3 ounces romano cheese
• 4 ounces mashed potatoes (made ahead with reduced fat milk, horseradish or garlic, butter buds, white pepper and salt)

Directions:

1. Heat oil to a sizzle.
2. Add carrots first and saute until starting to brown and caramelize.
3. Add onions and continue to cook.
4. Add broth or water if needed.
5. Cook until onions are completely translucent.
6. Add ground chicken or turkey, and fresh garlic.
7. Continue to cook until meat is cooked through (several minutes).
8. Add frozen peas, red pepper and all herbs and spices.
9. Stir well to blend spices into meat mixture.
10. Place meat mixture into an oven-proof casserole or serving bowl, top with reduced cheddar and 1/2 the parmesan.
11. Place under a salamander until cheese melts.
12. Add a layer of mashed potatoes in the center of the bowl leaving a circle of the meat mixture exposed on the exterior.
13. Top the potatoes with the additional grated parmesan and place back into the salamander until parmesan browns and forms a crust.
14. Place bowl on a larger plate as the bowl will be hot.
15. Enjoy!
16. RestaurantBeast.com Chef!

Reviews

[Peera]

I doubled the recipe (minus onions) for 3 adults & a toddler, it had just enough for 2 of us to go back for leftovers. Everyone asked me to make it again, only with a little worcestershire next time. I do kind of question the "healthy" label glancing at the nutritional info, but I suppose with beef it would have been much fattier.

[runandwrite]

Umm ... 49 grams of fat and they're calling this "Healthy" Sheppard's Pie? Good Lord, I'd hate to see the unhealthy version.

[Derf]

We enjoyed this very much. I used ground chicken. The pinches and dashes made for a good mix and the ability to use more of the ones we like best. Only one I missed was the fennel seed, had none. i will certainly make this again and probably fiddle with the spices. Thanks for sharing a good one.