Lazy Girl’s Lower Carb Shepard’s Pie

As much as I would love to snap my fingers and be transported to a sunny beach somewhere in the tropics, I must face reality. It is the thick of winter, and I am going to have to do my best to tough out the S.A.D (Seasonal Affective Disorder) induced lethargy I am currently experiencing.

But instead of fighting these winter mood swings like I typically do, this winter I have vowed to embrace my least favorite season of the calendar year by practicing the art of Hygge.

Not only am I indulging in  comfy clothes, interesting reads and hot, herbal teas (currently detoxing off the booze), I am also gravitating towards hearty dishes.

Given my poor metabolism, I have acquired quite a knack for adapting traditional “comfort food ” recipes to cut back on the carbs and excess calories.

Today, I am sharing one of my favorite go-tos for the winter months with this lower carb, low-cal take on  Shepard’s Pie.

Tips for the Lazy Cook…

Given I am a self-proclaimed “lazy cook”, I actually omitted a few steps from the traditional method of cooking Shepard’s Pie.

Not only do I skip baking it in the oven entirely, I don’t go thru the trouble of making the mash (which in this case is mashed cauliflower).

Instead of hand-making the mashed cauliflower, I recommend buying the pre-made stuff found in the freezer section of most grocery stores.

Not only will this hack cut back on prep time, it will also shorten your ingredient list.

Speaking of a shortened grocery list, while you can  certainly top your Shepard’s Pie with a bit of shredded organic cheese, there is so much flavor going on in this dish that I don’t even notice the lack of cheese (and I definitely don’t miss the added calories or fat!)

Other than the pre-made mashed caulifower, you can find all of these ingredients at ALDI (which is my favorite way to reduce grocery costs without compromising my preference for organic, free-range and grass-fed choices).

Low Carb Shepard’s Pie Ingredients:

*Makes 4 Servings*

• 1 lb. Organic Grass-fed Ground Beef
• 2 15 oz cans of Veg-All (or frozen vegetable medley equivalent)
• Pre-made Mashed Cauliflower
• 6 oz can of tomato paste
• 1 cup beef bone broth
• Worcestershire sauce
• Ground thyme
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Bay leaves
• Salt
• Pepper

How to Make Lower Carb Shepard’s Pie the easy way:

1. In greased skillet, brown the grass-fed ground beef.  While cooking beef, season it with salt, pepper,  garlic powder, onion powder and a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce.
2. Once beef is fully cooked, add tomato paste (I don’t typically use the entire 6oz can) and veggies to the beef.
3. Gradually add the beef bone broth to the skillet. While I listed a 1 cup requirement, I typically don’t use that much (unless I have left the dish simmering on the stove for too long).  Be careful not to add too much broth or your dish will be too runny. It is a delicate dance.
4. To taste, add additional salt, Worcestershire, onion powder, ground thyme and pepper.
5. Stir in 3 or 4 bay leaves and allow to simmer.
6. While meat and veggie mixture is simmering, prepare mashed cauliflower separately.
7. Once meat and veggie mix is seasoned to liking, scoop into a bowl. Then, top with mashed cauliflower. Enjoy!

For any of you experiencing the winter blues, hang in there! I feel your pain.

I hope this dish brings warmth to your body and cheer to your taste buds.

Now get out there and design some good vibes along with a fabulous life.

And if you found this post helpful, please share on social media or with a friend (it makes all the difference in the world). Thank you so much! xoxo