1tablespoonChampagne vinegar, or any other mild vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and pulp. Place halves on baking sheet, cut side down, and roast for 20 minutes or until tender when pierced with fork. Once cooked, remove from oven and set aside to cool. While butternut squash is roasting, cook peeled and chopped potatoes in large pot of boiling water until tender. Drain potatoes then mash using potato masher or fork and add nondairy butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
In separate large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent. Add diced carrots and minced garlic, cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in cooked lentils, frozen peas, vegetable broth, tomato paste, soy sauce or tamari, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and paprika. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 10 minutes, allowing flavors to meld. Once filling is ready, spoon into baking dish. Smooth out into even layer. Scoop mashed potatoes on top of lentil filling, spreading evenly to cover entire dish. Slice roasted butternut squash halves into ¼-inch slices and arrange on top of mashed potatoes. Place shepherd’s pie in preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until top is golden and filling is bubbling.
While the shepherd’s pie bakes, prepare rainbow chard greens. Rinse rainbow chard thoroughly under cold water. Trim tough stems at base of leaves. Separate stems from leaves and chop into small pieces. Set aside. Roll rainbow chard leaves together and slice crosswise into thin strips. Keep stems and leaves separate for now. Heat olive oil in large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add minced garlic to pan and sauté about 1 minute until fragrant. Be careful not to burn garlic. Add chopped chard stems to pan and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until they soften. Add sliced chard leaves to pan and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes more until they wilt.
Drizzle Champagne vinegar over sautéed chard, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything together to evenly distribute flavors. Continue cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes, just until chard is tender but still vibrant and retains some texture. Remove from heat. Once shepherd’s pie is cooked, remove from oven and allow to cool. Serve warm with sautéed rainbow chard and garnished with fresh parsley.