When I was twenty three and living in Vancouver where vegan cuisine was much more established than I’d ever been confronted with before, I decided to try my hand at it. I recall my roommate commenting how I was going to no longer eat anything which came from a face (an odd analogy I still struggle with), but that month was a great test.

Eating nothing that came from a face was a bold challenge, but it was also a great learning curve for how different, yet delicious food can be when you give it a go. Today’s recipe is just the same, it’s something I likely never would have considered until I had tried it and I implore you to try the same.

Vegan’s get a bad rap. though sometimes founded, most who choose to live their lives in this manner are, in fact, fancy as anyone else. They just choose to fill their bodies with different foods or rather a larger spread of healthier fare.

Changing an old English recipe that has meat as big component into a vegan version proved an appetite pleasing change and it’s worth giving a go if you’ve always been put off.

Vegan Shepherdless Pie
Recipe by Romingtaste
Serves 8

Ingredients:
400 grams/14 ounce can black beans, rinsed
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 fennel head, finely chopped
3 scallions, finely sliced
1/2 carrot, finely chopped
2 tomatoes finely chopped
2 tablespoon vegetable broth
2 large sweet potatoes, roughly chopped
3 large portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped
1/2 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon curry powder

Directions:
Place the black beans in a saucepan with half a cup of water and add 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable broth on low heat.

Add the onion, garlic, fennel, scallions, carrot and tomatoes to the black beans. Continue cooking for 15 minutes to really soften the vegetables and blend the flavors together, stirring every few minutes.

Meanwhile, place the sweet potatoes in a saucepan with enough water to cover and heat on high. Cook until soft when pierced. Drain 3/4 of water and add the other half tablespoon vegetable broth. Continue cooking on low for approximately 3 minutes.

Heat the oven to 150°C/300F on grill.

Add the mushrooms to the black beans and stir to combine. Seasoning to taste.

Pour the remaining water from the sweet potatoes into the black bean mixture and mash the sweet potatoes to a smooth mixture, adding the milk, olive oil and curry powder. Season to taste.

Place the black beans in a heatproof baking dish and spoon the mashed potatoes on top. Running a fork over the top.

Grill in the oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Serve immediately with a salad or on it’s own.