You may like this low-carb version of shepherd’s pie better than the original!
If You Remember The Original Weight Watchers…
Some of you may not be old enough to remember the very beginnings of Weight Watchers–in the days that the (now late) Jean Nidetch was running the show. The “diet” was based on the old NYC Board of Health diet which was more like an eating plan than a diet.
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Back in those days, it was pretty restrictive even though there were a wide variety of foods to eat and plenty of it too. But there were certain things you could not eat and potatoes was one of them. And what is traditional with shepherd’s pie? Well, potatoes.
Way back then my sister was on the program (what they called the Weight Watchers diet years ago) since she gained tons of weight during her first pregnancy. She always liked shepherd’s pie and was looking for a way to adapt it for her diet. She came up with a mashed cauliflower topping which a lot of us actually thought tasted better than the original potato topping. Of course hers was different to the one here as a low-carb diet includes many things that Weight Watchers didn’t allow.
Highly Adaptable
The veggies included in here are to my personal taste. You can easily substitute what you and your family like. That’s the beauty of these recipes!
About the only thing you have to keep to is the cauliflower in the topping. I’m a great lover of cauliflower which is why I always liked my sister’s rework of the original. And when you add cheese to it, it’s absolutely divine! In fact, try making the topping alone in a casserole. It’s a “legal” form of mac and cheese for those following a low-carb eating plan.
Great Even If You’re Not Low-Carb
I admit up front I don’t follow a lower carbohydrate eating plan. However, I have a good friend who does and many of her transformed recipes are insanely delicious. I just love good food and this recipe surely fills the bill there!
If you are looking for delicious recipes that fit a low-carb lifestyle, visit my friend’s blog–Maria’s Mixing Bowl. And be sure to check out her special egg salad. It’s amazing–I’ve been making egg salad for over 50 years now and this is the best I’ve ever tasted!
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The Recipe
- 24 oz (1.5 lb) lean ground beef
- ¼ cup onion, finely minced
- 1 cup broccoli florets, fresh or defrosted frozen
- 16 oz bag frozen cauliflower florets
- 2 tbs Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup sour cream (divided)
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided)
- salt & pepper to taste.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook frozen cauliflower per bag directions. Drain and mash the cauliflower then add ¼ cup of the sour cream and ½ cup of the shredded cheddar. Mix well and taste to see if you need additional salt/pepper and add to your taste. Set aside.
- Brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet; drain fat and place in a large bowl. Add the remaining sour cream, shredded cheese and broccoli florets.
- Turn the meat mixture into a small (1-1½ quart) casserole, spreading evenly over the bottom. Top with the cauliflower mixture, again spreading evenly to cover. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until heated through and cauliflower topping begins to brown.
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