Top 'O The Evenin' to ya.

Aye,
The last week of our European vacation, and we end up here.. in Ireland.    We've taken in some sights, visited some pubs, pretended we were living in the turn of the century France, met German grandmothers.. but what are we doing here?


There's a wee bit of truth in Ireland, known where the lambs are raised.. sigh, alas we know what they're raised for.   I know, I know, it's vacation - but we've yet to discuss the lambies.

I want to direct you HERE - to read about the plight of sheep.  I know, you probably won't read it but it's time we did the sheep of the world a service.  Did you know?

"Sheep are intelligent, inquisitive animals with good memories. They remember the animals and humans they’ve met, and form lasting friendships with their flock mates. Some neuroscientists now believe that the sheep’s brain recognizes faces in the same way a human’s does. In one study, a sheep was able to correctly identify a human face on a screen 50 times out of 50 chances. The same sheep could also remember the faces of up to 50 of his sheep friends, even when he hadn’t seen them for years."

Let's give them a break.  Besides, do you really want to hurt this wee one?

So, here we are at a lamb farm in Ireland and I want to ask a shepard, what is it that is ever so popular here in Ireland that we can make into a peaceful meal that the little guy up there will be able to live his life out, running around with his brothers, sisters and parents?

I hear, the Irish like "Shepards Pie".  (Also known as 'cottage pie).
The term cottage pie is known to have been in use in 1791, when the potato was being introduced as an edible crop affordable for the poor (cf meaning a modest dwelling for rural workers).
In early cookery books, the dish was a means of using leftover roasted meat of any kind, and the pie dish was lined with mashed potato as well as having a mashed potato crust on top.
The term "shepherd's pie" did not appear until 1877, and since then it has been used synonymously with "cottage pie", regardless of whether the principal ingredient was beef or mutton.  More recently, the term "shepherd's pie" has been used when the meat is lamb the theory being that shepards are concerned with sheep, not cattle.

So, that's where we're at.
When in Ireland, veganize what the Irish eat!

Shepards Pie                                  No Lamb Casserole
Calories  - 894                                          355
Total Fat  - 43                                            18
Cholesterol -111                                         0
Sodium - 1462                                           485
Total Carbs -92                                           23
Fiber -12                                                     7
Protein - 31                                                 8
WW Pts -23                                                7

Well now.   I think we have the makings of a pretty successfully healthy veganization - healthy for you, me and that lamb up there!


So - while we spend some time here in Ireland, we'll work to find out how to make this dish, and we'll be at it sometime during the weekend.

Keep it tuned!

Here's a bit of luck for ya while you wait.

 Music Enjoyed While Blogging:  Sheri's Shoobop on Pandora

Current Craving:  I'm stuffed

Current Motivation:  Fixing this ear ache.