Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie is one of those recipes that is made differently in every household. I have had the dish several different ways. This recipe is the first one I've had that was topped with sweet potatoes instead of regular mashed potatoes. As you all know, I prefer sweet potatoes over regular potatoes any day of the week. Put simply, they are just way more nutritious than a white potato. This is a great casserole because it has all the components you want in a meal. It fills you up and is great for a cold, wintery day. A side serving of fruit or a small wheat dinner roll is a perfect compliment to this dish.

Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
Serves 4-6
Adapted from: http://mealsandmovesblog.com/sweet-potato-shepherds-pie/

Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
splash of 1% milk
Nonstick cooking spray or olive oil spray
12 oz lean ground turkey or lean ground beef - I used ground turkey breast
2-3 celery stalks, diced
2-3 carrots, peeled and diced
1/2 medium red onion, diced
several dashes of worcestershire sauce - I did about 2 1/2 tablespoons
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce - use the lower sodium kind
1.5 cups steamed green beans - can be fresh or frozen
salt and pepper for seasoning
asiago or parmesan cheese, for sprinkling on top - use sparingly (I used parmesan cheese because that is what I had on hand)

Directions:
-Bring a large pot of water to boil on high heat. Add sweet potatoes, reduce heat, and boil until they are fork-tender. Should take 15-20 minutes depending on how big the chopped potatoes are.
-While potatoes are cooking, take a separate nonstick skillet and add a few sprays of nonstick cooking spray or olive oil spray. Heat on medium high heat and add your celery, carrots, onion, and worcestershire sauce. Saute for approx 5 minutes or so. Remove from pan and place on a plate and keep warm in the microwave.
-In the same saute pan, add your ground meat and season with salt, pepper, and more worcestershire sauce. Crumble and cook the ground meat until done. Drain any excess grease.
-To the cooked ground meat, add the tomato sauce and the carrot, onion, and celery mixture. Set aside once combined thoroughly.
-Drain your sweet potatoes and add a splash of milk and seasonings to the pot and mash with a potato masher or blend with a hand mixer. The amount of milk and seasonings will depend on your preference. I used just enough milk to get them to a creamy consistency.
-In an oven safe baking dish, add the meat/veggie mixture to the bottom of it. Then top with your steamed green beans. Next, add the mashed sweet potatoes to top off the casserole. Finally, add some grated cheese on top.
-Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the casserole is nice and bubbly.
-Remove from oven and serve some on a plate.

Enjoy! :)