365 Vegan Experiments: Smoky Southwest Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

Vegan by Robin Robertson

This is the other Vegan cookbook I received for Christmas from mom, thanks! I'm getting my use in already!!

p. 154

Smoky Southwest Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

Makes 4-6 servings

· 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch dice

· 2 chipotle chilies in adobo

· 2 tablespoons water

· 2 tablespoons vegan margarine

· Salt and pepper

· 1 tablespoon olive oil

· 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

· 2 medium carrots, chopped

· 3 cups cooked or 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

· 1 ½ cups thawed frozen corn kernels

· 1 ½ cups tomato salsa

· ½ teaspoon ground cumin

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly oil 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Steam potatoes until just tender, about 12 minutes. While potatoes steam, in food processor, puree chilies with water and set aside.

Mashed sweet potatoes.

2. Mash steamed potatoes with half of chipotle puree, the margarine salt and pepper.

3. In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and carrots, cover and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.

Sauteed onions and garlic. I also had some pre-cut purple cabbage that I decided to add to the dish. Having prepped veggies makes me a lot more likely to add them to dishes that don't call for them. How can purple cabbage hurt a dish? I think it can only add nutrition!

Transfer to prepared pan. Add beans, corn, salsa, cumin and chipotle puree. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

I wanted to use my dried black beans, but all I did prior to start cooking was soak them overnight. I forgot that in addition to soaking them I also have to cook them for about an hour. So instead, I finished those beans and froze them for future use and ran to the store to buy...

2 cans of black beans!

And added the other cans of vegetables to the dish: corn, peas (I didn't have any carrots and figured the peas would go nicely with the canned corn), salsa and some chipotle sauce that was pretty darn spicy!