Vegan Thanksgiving Is Around The Corner!
Vegan Thanksgiving Time With Sweet Potatoe Shepherd’s Pie!
Ready to rewrite the Thanksgiving tradition? Let’s have a vegan Thanksgiving with sweet potato, lentil, pecan shepherd’s pie! Today’s #LunchBreakLIVE chef is Vanessa Marsot, founder of Ellora Wellness Global.Â
This recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving. Sweet potatoes are a staple for many on this holiday, and sweet potato casseroles or shepherd pie’s land on many tables. So why not make it totally vegan this year?
The recipe is quick and easy, and involves pre-baking the sweet potatoes and pre-cooking the lentils to make it so fast. The heart of this meal are lentils, veggies, and sauteed pecans. This “meatlike” filling is indeed filling and delicious. The sweetness of the sweet potato topping is a wonderful contrast to the savory nuttiness of the filling. They combine to create a ballad of different flavors harmonizing in your mouth.
This dish is great to show all your friends and family members during your virtual holiday gatherings, and the best part is there’ll be more for you to eat!
Vegan Thanksgiving Chef, Among Other Things…
Vanessa Marsot is a Yale graduate, an actress, model, writer, poet, yoga and pole dance instructor, personal trainer, and licensed psychotherapist whose mission is to stop animal suffering. Vanessa founded Ellora Wellness, a global vegan organic wellness center and one-stop-shop for creative, cruelty-free living offering vegan, organic, ecological, non-toxic, and sustainable foods, products, and services. Ellora has dance, yoga, and fitness classes, healing arts, Sunday brunches, a boutique of clothes, jewelry, and decorative arts, and a grocery store of no plastic, zero-waste bulk products. These are the 4 pillars of health as she sees them—what you put in and on your body, the need for movement and creative expression, and the need for healing assistance every now and then. She is also currently working on a book form of Ellora, how to lead an eco vegan life. She welcomes everyone into Ellora as family members in a community space. It takes a community to make a community.
Let’s Eats Some Vegan Thanksgiving Deliciousness!
I love me some sweet potato anything! And Thanksgiving is the perfect time to bring sweet potatoes to the table. There are so many different dishes you can make with this tasty food. Mashed sweet potatoes, shepherd’s pie, sweet potato casserole with melted vegan marshmallows on top (a favorite of mine)…the options are unlimited! I have never had a sweet potato shepherd’s pie before, and I would love to try it. I am providing the recipe below so you too can make this and have it on the table for Thanksgiving this year.
Wow, Bring On Thanksgiving!
This dish looks so amazing. I am going to consider making this for my vegan Thanksgiving this year. It looks so delicious, healthy, and easy! Easy is the keyword for me…I only like easy recipes. Haha. If you want some other tasty vegan recipes to try at home be sure to check out the many recipes we have available for you. There are so many to choose from. Thanks for joining us today! Until next time…keep cookin’!
Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
- SWEET POTATOES:
- 3 large organic sweet potatoes* thoroughly washed + baked and roughly chopped into big chunks
- 2 Tbsp Water or vegetable broth
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1-2 Tbsp maple or date syrup optional // depending on sweetness of potatoes
- FILLING:
- 1 Tbsp water or vegetable broth
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups pre-cooked brown or green lentils rinsed and drained
- 1-2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tsp thyme
- 1 10- ounce bag frozen mixed veggies: peas carrots, green beans, and corn or equivalent fresh veggies of choice
- A handful of pecans optional
Instructions
- Bake sweet potatoes.
- Cook lentils in the instant pot or other.
- Transfer potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Use a masher or fork to mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Depending on the sweetness of sweet potatoes, add a bit of maple syrup to taste (optional). Loosely cover and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 C) and line a 9×13-inch (or similar size) baking dish with parchment paper.
- Next heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add water, onions, and garlic and sauté until caramelized – about 4-5 minutes.
- Add a pinch each salt and pepper. Then add vegetables, vegetable broth, and thyme and stir. Throw in pecans. Cook just until veggies and pecans are still crisp, and then mix in lentils.
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt and pepper for overall flavor.
- Transfer the lentil mixture to your baking dish and top with mashed sweet potatoes. Smooth down.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are lightly browned on top and the edges are bubbling.
- Let cool briefly before serving. The longer it sits, the more it will thicken. Enjoy!
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Donna Dennison is an UnchainedTV writer, graphic designer, video editor, and IG contributor. Donna is also a creative in the film industry.