Last week I had a reader comment and ask if I really felt better eating vegetarian.  I mentioned this before but I am not strictly vegetarian, Matt however is.  The truth is we both feel better when we eat a mainly plant based diet.  I have noticed I have way more energy,  I am not as sluggish and I think Matt feels the same.  He has even lost some weight and looks really good.  Of course for us ladies losing weight is always harder:) 

 I still love to indulge in some meat every now and then but I eat a primarily veggie based diet the majority of the time.  I cook mostly meat free meals now since Matt is a vegetarian.  I don’t love meat enough to cook it just for me and the kids.  I love a good veggie meal so that is why many of the recipes I post lately are meat free.  I will post meat recipes again but this is our life and what we are eating currently.

We have had a lot of rain and dreary days lately and that makes me crave comfort food.  This veggie pot pie is so good you won’t even the miss the meat.  But if you did want to have meat add some chicken in by all means.  I subbed cauliflower for the chicken because I felt like it was a hearty veggie.   Roasting the cauliflower and potatoes beforehand helps bring out great flavor instead of just boiling or steaming them.  You could really use any vegetable combo you wanted though.  I think for a fun Fall pot pie butternut squash or sweet potatoes would be really good.

 I decided to get all fancy and cut a star design out of my pre-made pie shell:)  I always use pre-made pie dough.  Maybe one day I will get ambitious and make my own but the pre-made works perfectly and is so easy.  If you want to do a design just save a little extra off the sides and cut into a design and place on top!

Enjoy!

||R O A S T E D  V E G G I E  P O T  P I E ||

– 1 head cauliflower chopped

– 1 small bag yellow baby potatoes diced

– 1 small container mushrooms, sliced

– 2 leeks, thinly sliced (wash them well first)

– 1 cup frozen green green peas

– 4 carrots, chopped

– 2 cups chicken or veggie broth

– 2/3 cup milk

– 1/3 cup all purpose flour

– 1/4 tsp celery seed

– 1/4 tsp pepper

– 1/2 tsp salt

– 1/4 tsp garlic powder

– 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

– 5 tablespoons butter

– 2 pre made pie crusts

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  

Toss cauliflower, carrots and potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Spread on a baking sheet and roast about 20-30 minutes until tender.

Meanwhile heat 2 tablespoons butter in skillet.  Add sliced mushrooms and leeks and sautee about 5-7 minutes until softened.  

Scoop out mushrooms and leeks and place in bowl. 

 In that same skillet add in 3 tablespoons butter, flour, salt, garlic powder, celery seed, and cook about 3 minutes.  Do not let it overcook or burn.  

It should look like mashed potatoes almost.  Add in chicken stock and milk and cook on medium high heat until bubbles and thickens.

Once it thickens remove from heat and stir in all veggies.  

In a pie shell press one pie shell on the bottom.  Bake in oven 7-9 minutes. 

 Remove from oven and pour in veggie mix.  Top with second shell.  Cut several slits in so it can breath while it cooks.

Bake at 400 degrees 35 minutes.