Sunday Night Dinner

This Sunday I'm having a dinner party at my house. I will have to cook enough food for eight hungry friends. The biggest challenge? Making something that is vegan but satisfying for non-vegetarians. Since most of my friends are not vegans, I know they're a little apprehensive about eating my food; some worry they'll still be hungry afterwards. My one friend recently told me that he eats a full dinner before he comes over to eat at my apartment! Crazy. We vegans/vegetarians like to eat too. So this Sunday I'm determined to prove them all wrong and make them "Thanksgiving Dinner Full" (sweatpants are going to be needed).

Here's what's on the menu: Vegan Shepard's Pie.

Ingredients

Potatoes

• four medium potatoes
• 1/2 cup of non-dairy milk
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 tsp sea salt

Lentils

• 1 1/4 cup of lentils (green)
• 2 1/2 cups of veggies stock

Vegetable Filling

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 chopped onions
• 3 chopped carrots
• 5 chopped brown mushrooms
• 2 celery stalks
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 3 tbsp tomato paste

Directions

Boil potatoes. Drain, mash them with milk, oil and salt. Set them aside.

Combine lentils and veggie stock. bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 40 mins. Stir occasionally.

Preheat oven 350 F. Heat oil in a saucepan and saute the onions. Add carrots and saute for another 5 mins, or until the carrots start to get soft. Add celery, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, coriander and salt. Once everything is soft, stir in your tomato paste. I also added a couple tsp of water to prevent it all from sticking.

Put your veggie filling into an oiled casserole dish, top with the mashed potatoes and sprinkling some olive oil and light thyme on top. Bake for 25 mins. If you want to brown the top, turn on the broiler for the last 5 mins, it'll get nice and crunchy. Remove and serve.