Root Vegetable & Green Lentil Shepherd's Pie

Rinse 50g dried cannellini beans under cold water. Peel 100g russet potatoes and chop them into 2cm cubes. In a medium saucepan, combine the beans and potatoes with 500ml water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes until both are completely tender. Drain, reserving 50ml of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, in a separate pot, combine 400g dried green lentils with 1.2L water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20-25 minutes until tender but still holding their shape. Drain well. Divide the cooked lentils in half: set aside half (approx. 350g cooked weight) to cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for Day 7. Use the remaining half for this recipe.

While the beans, potatoes, and lentils cook, finely dice 50g carrots, 50g yellow onion, and 50g celery. Mince 10g garlic cloves. Strip and finely chop 5g fresh rosemary and 5g fresh thyme.

Heat 15ml olive oil in a medium oven-safe skillet or pan over medium heat. Add the diced carrots, onion, celery, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and starting to caramelize.

Stir in the minced garlic, chopped rosemary, and chopped thyme, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.

Add 20g tomato paste to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, to caramelize the paste and deepen the flavor. Dissolve 10g vegetable bouillon powder in 150ml hot water, then pour into the skillet. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Stir in the unreserved cooked green lentils (half of the boiled batch) and simmer for 5 minutes until the gravy has thickened and coated the lentils. Season with black pepper to taste.

In a bowl, combine the cooked potatoes, cooked cannellini beans, 15g unsalted butter, 25g nutritional yeast, and the reserved 50ml cooking liquid. Mash thoroughly with a potato masher until smooth and fluffy. Grate 40g cheddar cheese.

Preheat your oven's broiler (grill) to high (or oven to 220°C). Spread the mashed potato and bean mixture evenly over the lentil filling in the skillet. Use a fork to rough up the surface to create crispy ridges. Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese and the remaining 5g nutritional yeast over the top.

Place the skillet under the broiler for 5-7 minutes, or bake at 220°C for 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and golden brown with crispy edges. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Ensure the reserved half of the cooked green lentils is completely cooled, then seal in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for the Day 7 Spanish salad.