Sausage & Sweet Potato Shepard's Pie

My mother made shepard's pie at least once a week when I was growing up so this is a huge comfort food for me!  Sorry mom, but I have to say though that I like this version better. :)  I have also made this with butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes and its just as yummy!  Also, feel free to use ground beef if you don't eat pork.  Enjoy!

Sausage & Sweet Potato Shepard's Pie
Prep Time:  Approximately 5 minutes
Cook Time: Approximately 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes, cubed (or 1 large butternut squash, cubed)
• olive oil
• sea salt
• 1 lb sweet italian sausage, casing removed (or grass-fed beef)
• 2-3 carrots, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 8 oz mushrooms
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup organic chicken/beef stock
• 2 tsp italian seasoning
• green onions, diced (for optional garnish)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
2. Put cubed sweet potatoes or butternut squash in a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil and sea salt then toss and roast for 25 minutes or until tender, toss halfway through.
3. While sweet potatoes are roasting, cook sausage in a large skillet just until pink and break it up.
4. Add carrots and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add mushrooms and onions and cook for  5 minutes.
6. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
7. Add tomatoes, chicken stock and seasoning and bring to a boil.
8. Reduce heat to a simmer, season with salt to taste and let thicken while you finish the sweet potatoes.
9. Remove sweet potatoes from oven and either mash with a potato masher or in a food processor (what I did). Increase oven temp to 400°.
10. Once sausage mixture has thickened (you may need to drain some of the liquid), pour in the bottom of a casserole dish and put mashed sweet potatoes on top.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the top has browned slightly.
11. Garnish with green onions if desired.