Gloomy, rainy, tropical days on our side of the world. Perfect weather to make a shepherd's pie. Though it's still nice and warm with temperatures around 28°C (82-83°F) everything below 27°C (80°F) feels chilly after living in the tropics for 4 years. It's kinda crazy how fast your body adapts to another environment.

But every weather has its advantages. Rainy season means a lot of lush natures and colors... and lots of indoor time to get busy in the kitchen.

Always look at the bright side of life, right? Though I must say I prefer the sun because of the many smiling faces, I love the rainy season too.

How are you guys doing? Enjoying the summer months and many cookouts that come with it? Or any plans to go on a holiday in the near future?

But enough about the weather and the holidays, let's talk comfort food.

VEGGIE SHEPHERD'S PIE WITH SWEET POTATO PARSLEY MASH

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

2 medium-sized sweet potatoes (any color or variety), peeled and cut into pieces
1/2 cup dried adzuki or mung beans
1 cup celery, finely chopped
1 cup carrot, finely chopped
1.5 cup tomato, cubed
2 cups fresh spinach
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 - 3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 to 1 cup vegetable stock
Dried or fresh thyme to taste
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
1-2 tbsps unsweetened almond milk or other nut or seed milk of your choice
1/2 to 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Rinse lentils under cold running water. Transfer to a saucepan. Add water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for about 15 to 20 minutes. Add water if needed to keep the beans barely covered. You can skip this pre-cooking step if you soak the beans overnight.
While the beans are cooking, boil the sweet potatoes in lightly salted water.
Meanwhile, in a pot or large skillet with a lid, sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat for a few minutes. When fragrant, add tomatoes, celery, and carrots. Stir well add the pre-cooked beans and vegetable stock. Cook until veggies and beans are tender.
Last 5-10 minutes of cooking, add spinach and season with thyme, salt, and pepper to taste.
Preheat the oven to 175ºC (or 350ºF).
Mash the sweet potatoes with a little salt, nutmeg, fresh parsley, and almond milk (or other nut/seed milk).
Add the filling to an oven-safe dish and top with sweet potato mash. You can make one big Sherperd's pie in a pie pan or use separate 1 serving dishes like I did.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until the mash becomes slightly crisp. You could add Panko to the top for an extra crunchy and browning effect. Up to you.