Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie Recipe

This recipe is our version of the traditional shepherd’s pie. Instead of mashed potatoes, we use the less-starchy Sweet Potato Mash. We’ve also upped the veggie factor significantly and made sure not to overcook them. This is a delicious meal for a cold winter’s night – hearty and warming.

Ingredients:
1 tspn ghee
1/2 red onion, small diced (approximately 1/2 cup)
1/2 tspn sea salt
2 celery sticks, small diced (approximately 1/2 cup)
1/4 tspn chili powder
1 tspn paprika
2 tbsp thyme
1 pound ground grass-fed beef or ground turkey
1 cup chopped (into 1/2 inch pieces) green beans
1 14.5oz. can of no-sodium diced tomatoes
Sweet Potato Mash

Preparation:

1. Heat the ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion with the salt for 2 minutes until just translucent. Add celery, chili powder, paprika, thyme, and mix well. Add the ground beef and stir to mix. Chop the green beans and add them to the meat as it cooks. Add tomatoes and mix well. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Spread the meat mixture into and 8 inch by 8 inch pan. Using a spatula, press down so that there are no air bubbles. Spread the sweet potato mash on top of the meat mixture, using the spatula to smooth out the top.
3. Turn on the broiler to high and cook pie for 5 to 7 minutes, until top is a nice shade of brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving warm.

Makes 6 servings

Recipe courtesy of the Naked Foods Cookbook by Margaret Floyd and James Barry

Scotland [ print this recipe for Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie ]

Maple Pear Porridge Recipe

This recipe for Maple Pear Porridge is my entry into the Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods Spar For The Spurtle Porridge Making Contest. The creators of the top three recipes will be flown to Portland, Oregon to compete in a live cook-off. The winner then will receive an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Scotland, to represent Bob’s Red Mill in the 18th Annual Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship in Scotland, $2,500 in cash, and several other prizes. The deadline for the contest is July 31st. Click here for more details about the contest.

After learning about this contest, I wanted to come up with a unique but simple recipe using steel cut oats. This recipe involves cooking the oats and also making a sauce that is added just before it is served. In addition to the recipe below, you can also view this video that will walk you through how to make this simple breakfast treat.



Referred to as brochan in the Scottish Highlands, porridge is most commonly made with oats, boiling water, and salt. This recipe for maple pear porridge is no exception. However, it takes this combination of simple ingredients to the next level in terms of taste. Even if you are not a big fan of oatmeal, you have to give this dish a try.

Ingredients:
2 cups of water
1/2 tspn kosher salt
1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill Steel Cut Oats
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tspn pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup shelled walnuts
1/2 of a pear, pealed and sliced

Preparation:

1. In a large saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil over medium heat.
2. Add the kosher salt and stir.
3. Add the steel cut oats, the brown sugar, and the cinnamon stick. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. While the oats cook, peel and slice the pear into length wise wedges.
5. After 20 minutes have passed, add the vanilla to the oats and stir.
6. In a separate small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the butter, maple syrup, and walnuts. Cook for about 5 minutes until the butter has melted. Stir the mixture and then remove from heat.
7. Distribute the oats evenly between 2 serving bowls. Place the slices of pear around the perimeter of the bowl. Top with the walnut, butter, and maple syrup sauce.

This recipe makes 2 servings

Scotland [ print this recipe for Maple Pear Porridge ]

Scones Recipe

This scone recipe has been in the family for at least 20 years. My sister was the first one to make them regularly. Now my wife makes them for our family at least once a month and they are always eaten within an hour.

These taste better than the scones that you find in a store or coffee shop - maybe because they are fresher or maybe because they are made in a different way. Usually when I buy a scone, it is as hard as a hockey puck or excessively dry. Scones made with this process, however, are light, moist and don't have alot of sugar.

This dish is really versatile in that you can use different types of fruit to make them depending on what is currently in season. You can also use dried fruit such as raisins or cranberries.

Recommended Equipment:
a chopper called a mezzaluna (half moon)


Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
Swedish pearl sugar which you can find at IKEA
1/4 tspn salt
2 tspn baking powder
1/2 tspn baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup dried cranberries (you can use blueberries, apple or bananas instead)
1 tspn vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk

Note: you can also substitute fresh blueberries or banana that is cut into blueberry sized pieces for the cranberries. For bananas, add 1 tspn of cinnamon to the dry ingredients.

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir these ingredients together.
3. Add butter pieces to the bowl and chop into the dry mixture using the mezzaluna until butter is well integrated with the dry mixture.
   
   
   
   
4. Stir in the cranberries.
5. In a small bowl, whisk the egg, vanilla extract and the buttermilk together.
6. Add the mixture from step #5 to the flour mixture in the big bowl and stir until the ingredients are moistened and stick together.
7. Pour dough onto a lightly floured surface.
8. Knead the dough several times then form a 8 inch round dough.
   
9. Sprinkle with the Swedish pearl sugar as a garnish.
10. Use a knife to cut the dough into eight equal sized pieces.
    
11. Place the wedges apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
    
12. Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes.
13. Serve hot.
    

Scotland