Cilantro Lime Dressing

I made a Southwest Steak Salad tonight and this dressing was a perfect accompaniment.

Cilantro Lime Dressing

1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded (the original recipe calls for 1 seeded jalapeño but my family are all wimps)

2 cloves of garlic

3/4 tsp minced fresh ginger

1/3 C fresh lime juice

1 TB honey or agave nectar

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

1/2 C packed cilantro

1/3 C extra virgin olive oil

Place all ingredients in blender and blend well. Best if refrigerated for a couple of hours prior to serving.

The ginger sounds like a strange ingredient, but don't leave it out. It is very subtle, but adds a great flavor.

Shepherds Pie

I know Shepherds Pie is usually a cold weather meal, but it just sounded so good! I don't mind using potatoes, but I already had my starchy veg and grains for the day so I decided to do mock mashed potatoes instead. So delicious! You won't even miss the potatoes. You can use regular mashed potatoes if you wish.

Shepherds Pie with Garlic Mock Mashed Potatoes
Serves 4

Garlic Mock Mashed Potatoes
Serves 4

1 medium head cauliflower
1/4 C low-fat cottage cheese
1/4 C grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp minced fresh garlic
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
2. Clean and cut the cauliflower into small pieces. Cook in the boiling water for about 6 minutes, until well done.
3. Drain well. Do not let cool. Pat the cooked cauliflower very dry between several layers of paper towels (otherwise our "potatoes" will fall apart).
4. With an immersion blender in a deep bowl or in a food processor, pulse the hot cauliflower with the cottage cheese, parmesan, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth.


Filling
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can green beans, drained (or frozen, thawed)
1 can corn, drained (or frozen, thawed)
2 TB flour (I used a GF flour blend)
1 C chicken broth (or water)
2 tsp tomato paste
1 TB olive oil
dash of worcestershire sauce
dash of hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute until just soft.
3. Add ground beef and cook until browned through.
4. Add flour and mix well. Add corn, beans, broth, tomato paste, w sauce, hot sauce and salt and pepper. Let simmer until thickens.

Put filling mixture into a 9X9 inch glass baking dish. Spread the "mashed potatoes" over the filling, covering it all the way to the edges. Bake for 25 minutes until heated through. Serve and enjoy!