Remember when I promised I would have some new recipes for you once I got back from Hawaii? Well, I have a new recipe for you today that your whole family will love (at least mine did, and they have already asked when I’m going to make it again!).
My husband loves anything with meat and potatoes and I love anything with LOTS of veggies (which is why I’m always looking to make “traditional foods” a little healthier).
Shepherd’s Pie is one of my husband’s favorite comfort foods, so instead of making it with the traditional russet potatoes, boring peas, carrots and lots of butter, I changed up the recipe to make it healthier using sweet potatoes, bell peppers and ground turkey. I was very pleased with the result…
So, here you go, my version of a Healthier Shepherd’s Pie…
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 red bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 red onion (diced)
- 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 4 small-to-medium size sweet potatoes (yams)
- 1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 3/4 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 can chopped tomatoes (or 2 roma tomatoes chopped)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp garlic no salt seasoning
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp olive oil
- pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Peel and slice sweet potatoes into large chunks and boil for about 20 minutes, until they are tender.
- Drain the sweet potatoes and mash.
- Add yogurt, milk, 1/2 cup of cheese and half of the spices to your sweet potatoes. Mix well and set potatoes aside.
- Meanwhile, saute onions and bell peppers in olive oil with garlic, until caramelized. Add turkey and the rest of the spices and cook until browned.
- Add tomatoes and BBQ sauce to turkey mixture. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until liquid cooks down.
- Remove from heat and mix in 1/2 cup of cheese.
- Pour turkey mixture into a large baking dish (2-2 1/2 quarts). Scoop sweet potatoes and spread on top of turkey. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake for 30-40 minutes, until cheese is melted (and slightly browned) and sides are bubbling.
Questions:
What traditional recipes would you like to see lighter (or made healthier)? I’m looking to pick a few recipes and update them with healthier ingredients to feature on my blog.
How do you like to eat sweet potatoes?
