Cauliflower Shepherd's Pie

Mashed Cauliflower
1 medium head cauliflower, washed and cut in florets
3 Tbsp butter, cubed
¼ tsp fine sea salt
½ Tbsp dried or fresh parsley

Sprinkle of pepper and garlic powder

Base
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
⅔ cup carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups fresh mushrooms, diced
1 lb lean ground beef, browned
½ tsp fine sea salt
1 Tbsp Worcestershire
½ cup beef broth
½ tsp soy sauce
¼ cup tomato paste
½ Tbsp parsley
1 cup frozen peas

Topping
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp parmesan cheese
Paprika

Place cauliflower in a large pot covered with water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle boil and cook with lid on for 8 - 10 minutes. Cauliflower should be tender but not mushy. Remove from heat and drain well. Put the cauliflower back in pot with lid on and let stand for 5 minutes. (This ensures the cauliflower doesn't get watery.)  Place cooked cauliflower in the food processor with butter and spices. Pulse until it becomes whipped/consistency of mashed potatoes.

Brown the ground beef over medium heat. In a separate pan, fry the oil, garlic, onion and carrots over medium heat until softened, about 3 -5 minutes. Add celery and mushrooms and cook for one additional minute. Add browned ground beef, salt, Worcestershire, broth, soy sauce, tomato paste and parsley to the mixture. Simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes until cooked through and some of the juice has cooked off. Add frozen peas for the last 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the beef mixture into a 9x13 casserole dish. Top with mashed cauliflower. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese and a dash of paprika. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes until bubbling and cheese is cooked.  Let stand for 5 - 10 minutes before slicing and serving.