Whole 30 Shepherd's Pie

I'm embarking on a challenge next week that I never thought I would attempt: my first Whole 30. I've always been super intimidated by the idea of doing it, mainly since I was a little unaware of what it looked like in it's entirety. Even after buying this book and looking through it a ton, I'm still worried I'm going to eat something that I don't realize is off limits.

So why am I giving it a shot this January? After traveling in October (and eating all the food) and many weeks more of holiday foods, I'm just feeling so blah. I also have horrible intuitive eating skills, as I'm always reminded at the holidays, so I'm hoping that this month will help me finally get a handle on that. I'll let you know how it goes.

This recipe was my first Whole 30 focused meal and it turned out amazing. I know there are tons of delicious Whole 30 compliant recipes on the internet so I'm not worried about finding appetizing meals to fill my 30 days, but I still wanted to get a handle on pulling these meals together myself.

This shepherd's pie would make my English father proud. It's loaded with tons of flavors and the fresh thyme just takes it to another level. As a lover of brussel sprouts, I'm always looking for an opportunity to include them in a dish and they fit perfectly under the cloud of mashed potatoes. 

Whole 30 Shepherd's Pie

• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs. potatoes, halved

• 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef

• 1 c. diced carrots

• 1 lb brussel sprouts, halved

• 1 onion, diced

• 1/4 c. tomato paste

• 1 c. chicken broth

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 Tbs. fresh thyme

• 1 tsp. oregano

• 3/4 c. coconut milk

• 3 Tbs. ghee

• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9x13 baking dish.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add in your potatoes, cooking until soft.

3. While your potatoes cook, brown the beef in a large skillet. Once cooked through, remove from the skillet and drain any leftover grease.

4. To the large skillet, add your carrots, brussel sprouts, and onion, cooking on medium heat.

5. When the carrots and brussel sprouts have softened, add in the tomato paste, chicken broth, garlic, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper to taste, and cooked beef. Allow to simmer while you mash your potatoes.

6. When the potatoes have softened, drain the water and return to the pot. Add in the coconut milk, ghee, and salt and pepper to taste, mashing until smooth.

7. Pour the beef and veggie mixture evenly into your dish, smoothing the mashed potatoes overtop.

8. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.