Vegetarian Shepard's Pie

I am not vegetarian, but once a week or more we prepare a meatless meal.  With factory farms being one of the largest polluters on the planet, having a meatless meal once a week is a way to reduce your environmental impact.

The Paleo and Primal style of eating is becoming more popular and involves eating more meat.  Hopefully people are thinking about where their meat is coming from and making sure it is from small, local and reputable farms that treat their animals well.

I have heard the terms "Meatless Mondays" or "Mindful Mondays", for adopting a vegetarian meal on Mondays.  For me, it does not necessarily have to be on a Monday, but it is a start to being more conscious about what we eat and where our food is coming from.

My daughter is vegetarian, so we have made quite a few meatless meals and casseroles.  One of the best meatless Shepard's Pies we have had is from the classic vegetarian cookbook "Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant".  I have tried to simplify the recipe to make it quicker and easier to make.  I am not a fan of tofu, but the gravy in this recipe even makes the tofu taste good!

6 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons grapeseed or coconut oil
1 large onion, chopped
8-10 button mushrooms, sliced
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
freshly ground pepper to taste
3 tablespoons gluten-free tamari soy sauce
1 tablespoon arrowroot starch and 2 tablespoons brown rice flour dissolved in 1/2 cup water
2 to 2 1/2 cups hot potato water (and 1/2 of a gluten-free vegetarian beef flavoured bouillon cube)
1 cup frozen peas or frozen mixed vegetables
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted for 7 minutes at 350 degrees and chopped
juice of half a lemon
1 firm cake tofu, crumbled
daiya dairy free cheese (to sprinkle on top)

Cook the potatoes in water in a large pot until done.  While the potatoes are cooking, toast and chop the walnuts and start the onion gravy mixture.  Drain the potatoes when done, reserving the cooking water.  Mash the potatoes with about 1/4 cup butter, Epicure garlic salt and freshly ground pepper.

In a large cast iron skillet (or a large skillet that can go into the oven), saute the onions, mushrooms, thyme, coriander and black pepper in the oil until softened and fragrant.  Add the soy sauce.  Add the starch and flour dissolved in water.  Add the potato water and 1/2 of a bouillon cube.  Stir on medium-high heat until thickened.  Add the frozen peas or mixed vegetables.  Simmer on low heat until the vegetables are cooked.  Add the chopped walnuts, lemon juice and crumbled tofu.  Simmer for a few minutes more.

Spoon the mashed potatoes on top of the vegetable tofu mixture.  Sprinkle the top with grated cheese or dairy free cheese.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 400 degrees until the cheese melts and the sauce is bubbling around the sides.