Sweet Potato Shepard's Pie

I love this spin on a traditional Shepard's Pie recipe. The touch of cinnamon (YES! Cinnamon!) complements both the sweet potatoes and ground meat really well. It is the perfect hearty meal for fall and winter.  My kids loved the mashed sweet potatoes on top. Both sweet and savory is the way to go!

Filling:
1 lb grass-fed lean ground meat

2 cups carrots, diced

2 medium onions, diced

2 cups celery, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp EVOO

1 tsp rubbed sage

1 tsp ground thyme

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1-2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup almond milk

Sweet Potato Topping:

6-8 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup almond milk

1 tbsp ghee or grass-fed butter (you could also use coconut oil)

1 tsp sea salt

Begin by cooking your sweet potatoes. Bring water to a boil, and add your peeled and cubed sweet potatoes. Cook about 15- 20 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile,  heat your oven-safe pan over medium high heat. Add your EVOO followed by your carrots, celery, and onions. Allow to cook for about 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and onions are translucent. Stir in your ground beef, garlic, and all the spices (from sage to salt). Cook for 8-10 minutes stirring frequently until meat has browned. Add in your almond milk, and allow everything to simmer on low for about 10 minutes.

Once sweet potatoes are cooked, drain them and place in a large bowl. Add in your ghee or coconut oil, almond milk, and salt. Using a potato masher or hand mixer, beat the sweet potatoes until smooth.

Take meat mixture off the heat, and layer mashed sweet potatoes evenly over top. Place your oven-safe pan in the oven on broiler setting. Allow the top of the sweet potatoes to get golden brown. This usually takes about 10-15 minutes.