Diet Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients:

500g lean mince (5% fat or less)

Garlic fry lite

2 onions (sliced thinly)

3 garlic cloves roughly chopped

1 passatta

Worcester sauce

1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs

1 teaspoon chilli flakes

1 beef stockpot made up with 300ml water

Bisto granules

Mixed frozen veg

1kg potatoes

3 tsp low fat spread

Method:

Fry the mince in batches using garlic fry light, when cooked put in the slow cooker

Slice onions and garlic and fry in the ‘juice’ from the mince until softened.  Add to the slow cooker

Put the passata in the slow cooker

Make up beef stock, add Worcester sauce, chilli flakes and mixed herbs to taste.  I add Bisto granules also to thicken as I prefer it to have a more meaty flavor than tomato-y.

Leave to cook for about 5 hours, taste occasionally and adjust to suit

While the meat is infusing away, boil the frozen veg until just cooked and drain.  I add the veg to the dish with the cooked mince, I don’t put it in the slow cooker so it doesn’t get overdone.  I found that if I add it to the slow cooker the peas turn into little bullets and there’s no positive outcome on flavor – so it’s better to add at the end!

When the meat is cooked make your mash.  I use a ricer as it makes my mash super smooth and I have to use less binding agent.  I add a few teaspoons of I can’t Believe it’s not Butter and that’s all, it comes together really well, no milk needed.y Slimming World friend uses an egg yold instead of butter to make it syn free but I can’t bring myself too, it feels like war rations!

Drain the meat, reserving the cooking liquid to be your gravy and spoon the dry (ish) meat mixture into an ovenproof dish, add as many of the cooked veg as you like and give a stir.  You don’t want a lot of liquid or the potato will become one with the base.  Still tastes good but not as aesthetically pleasing!

Spoon and smooth your mash or pipe on if you feel fancy.  I add a sprinkling of cheese to make sure it’s a lovely golden yummy look and bake at about 180, Gas mark 6 for 45 minutes or until cooked through.

Serve with steamed veggies of your choice.

Finished Shepherds Pie

Absolutely yummy!