Iron-rich Shepherd’s Pie with Sweet Potato Topping

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 5 medium-sized sweet potatoes
• ½ cup unsweetened apple juice
• 1 pound ground beef (grass-fed organic if possible)
• 4 organic chicken livers, defrosted if frozen
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, shredded
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach
• 4 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Puncture skin on potatoes several times with a fork and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or until soft.
3. Remove from oven, and turn temperature to 400 degrees. Let potatoes cool enough to remove skins.
4. Mash potato (can use blender, food processor, or tools available to you), adding up to ½ cup of apple juice to make consistency creamier.  Set aside.
5. Add chicken livers to blender and blend until pureed. Pour into bowl with raw ground beef and mix well with either gloved or clean hands.
6. Add 1 tbsp oil to large frying pan, and over high heat, add beef and liver mixture, stirring until just brown. Remove meat from pan and set aside.
7. Add the second tbsp of olive oil to pan, and add chopped onion, shredded carrots, and sliced mushrooms to the pan. Sauté over low heat until vegetables are soft, then add the spinach and browned beef to mixture. Add garlic powder and salt and pepper. Continue cooking for 1 minute or until spinach starts to wilt.
8. Spread beef and vegetable mixture to the bottom of an 8x8 inch baking pan.
9. Smooth potato puree over the top and bake for approximately 15 minutes on 400 degrees until potato starts to brown. Serve immediately.