Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie #SundayFunday

Welcome to #SundayFunday! Wendy from A Day In The Life on The Farm invited fellow bloggers to kick back, relax, and share something tasty and fun each weekend. "Sunday should be a Family Funday. Please join us in sharing recipes that will help you to enjoy your Sunday." If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join!

Today our #SundayFunday group is hosted by Mayuri of Mayuri's Jakoni who invited us to "Prepare any dish of your choice using a root or roots. It should be the star ingredient | ingredients."

  

Root vegetables are underground plant parts eaten by humans or animals as food. In agricultural and culinary terminology, the term applies to true roots, such as taproots and root tubers, as well as non-roots such as bulbs, corms, rhizomes, and stem tubers. (Wikipedia)

This is not a traditional "shepherd's" pie with lamb - or maybe not even a "cottage" pie with ground beef - but I'm leaving the name alone. Whatever you want to call it - it's absolutely comforting, cozy, hearty, healthy, and delicious! 

Just the right amount of sauce, meat, and vegetables. The creamy sweet potato topping goes perfectly with the filling. 

See all of our root veggie recipes we're sharing with you today! 

Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

Sweet Potato Topping: 

3 med / lg sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

3 TBS butter

1/4 cup half and half
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp black pepper

Shepherd's Pie Filling:

1 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
2 large onions, diced

1 1/2 lbs ground turkey

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder
3 TBS minced garlic

1 tsp onion powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 TBS all-purpose flour
2 TBS tomato paste

1 cup turkey broth

1 12-oz bag frozen peas & carrots

1 4-oz can mushrooms

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, and boil the sweet potato pieces for about 20 - 25 minutes until tender.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
3. While the potatoes are boiling, heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet and add the diced onion and ground turkey. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring ocassionally until onions are tender and ground turkey is cooked through. Season with cumin, chili powder, minced garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper.
4. Sprinkle the flour over meat mixture and stir until blended in. Add in the tomato paste and turkey broth and stir until well combined. Bring to a low simmer to thicken.
5. Add in the frozen peas & carrots, and the canned mushrooms. Stir and allow to simmer on low until the potato topping is ready. Taste, and adjust seasonings as needed.
6. When potaotes are tender, drain and add them to the bowl of a kitchen aid mixer with the paddle attachment fitted. Turn speed on medium-low and add in the butter, half and half, paprika, salt and pepper. Turn speed up and whip for a couple of minutes, or just until fully blended.
7. Taste, adjust seasonings if desired.
8. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Scrape the meat mixture into the pan. Spread the potato mixture over the top and smooth to cover with a spatula.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until casserole is bubbly.
10. Allow to cool briefly. Serve and enjoy! 

Recipe adapted from NY Times and The Real Food Dieticians