No Potato Lentil Shepherd's Pie

This is a variation on Michelle Bridges recipe I got from the SMH the other day. It was used a few pots but beside that was fairly simply, tasty and extremely healthy (as you would expect from a personal trainer).

No Potato Lentil Shepherd's Pie
Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown lentils
1 onions, 1 chopped
1 bay leaf
500g cauliflower, broken into florets
1/3 cup vegan ricotta or cream cheese
1 large carrot, diced
150g mixed mushrooms, halved if large
1 garlic clove, crushed
400g can diced tomatoes
Handful of english spinach leaves
salt
freshly ground pepper
Vegan parmesan
1 Tbls olive oil


Method

Place lentils, and bay leaf in a saucepan.
Cover with 2 cups water, bring to the boil and simmer for 40 minutes or until lentils are tender. (If using cooked lentils 10-20mins if enough)
Drain; discard bay leaf.
Boil cauliflower for 15 minutes or until very soft.
Transfer to a bowl and mash with ricotta to make a coarse purée.
In a frying pan on medium heat fry chopped onion, carrot, mushrooms and garlic in olive oil for 8 minutes, stirring, until softened and golden.
Stir in tomatoes, lentils and spinach and heat through.
Season with pepper, then spoon mixture into an ovenproof dish.
Top with cauliflower mash and parmesan.
Bake for 30 minutes on 180C until the cheese is golden.