Veggie Shepherd's Pie

A vegetarian twist on a cozy, hearty comfort food.
If you have kids that are picky about the way their food looks, you may have to talk fast. The gravy is delicious, but quite green and oozy! It'd be a great one for St. Patty's Day.
For ease and convenience, you could use a frozen veggie mix and add the onion and whatever else.

Veggie Shepherd's Pie

1 - 2 cups broccoli florettes
1 cup carrots
1/3 onion (white, red or yellow)
about 8 spears asparagus
1-2 cups cauliflower
1-2 cups fresh or frozen green beans
1 cup frozen corn kernels

Gravy:
1 tbsp olive or coconut oil
1 can coconut milk
1 large clove garlic
a little but of grated onion
about 1 cup finely diced mushrooms
1-2 cups fresh spinach
1/2 red pepper
2 tbsp corn starch or other thickener
sea salt

8 red potatoes (or whatever you have- adjust the numbers for approximate potato size)
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup rice milk or coconut milk
2 tbsp butter or vegan spread
sea salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Wash and/or peel potatoes. Chop and put on to boil with whole garlic cloves.
If using fresh veg, chop coarsely and steam lightly (not too much or you'll end up with mush).
Place steamed veg or veggie mix in bottom of baking dish.
When potatoes are soft, drain, mash and mix with rice milk, butter and salt.
To make sauce:
Heat oil on medium heat in skillet or pan.
Saute mince garlic, onion and mushrooms in skillet for about 2 minutes. Add coconut milk and stir well. Whisk in corn starch. bring to a low boil and then turn down heat to simmer, stirring frequently.
Place spinach and red peppers in food processor or blender and puree, adding a little water if necessary. Mix puree into gravy mixture in pan. Sea salt to taste.
Pour gravy over vegetables in baking dish, cover with mashed potatoes, top with a little sea salt and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!

(I told my kids the gravy was Halloween ooze.)