Last week Taido read me a news article that stated that it’s rained in the UK every day in 2026.
It was actually a relief to hear that out loud, because I have been wondering what was wrong with me and now I can blame the weather.
Then the sun came out on Saturday and there was a spontaneous city-wide celebration of the first time we’ve seen a fully blue sky in 2026.
Everyone was outside. Parks were full, the city sidewalks were heaving as we all collectively emerged from our hibernation.
Of course, the rain was back on Sunday morning. But still, we know the sun is out there somewhere behind all those clouds and it will return again.
But right now, it’s a rare day that I don’t return from a walk drenched all the way to my toes.
My boots are permanently covered in a thick layer of thick, dark muck (that is the technical term) and the mud on the bottom ten inches of my trousers is there to stay.
Lately at home, I’ve been going through photos from sunnier days, trying to write about some of the places I’ve been in the last four years. Often I abandon the work because it just makes me want to climb aboard the next airplane bound for a beach cafe where I can feel the sun on my face.
So it’s no wonder I’ve been craving hearty warm casseroles for dinner at night.
I used to love shepherd’s pie and steak pies when we lived Scotland. But those were my pre-vegetarian days, so I tried this week to make a pie that feels similarly heavy, but is vegetarian. I was looking for some plant-based comfort food. And it was a success.
This recipe, which I’ve only slightly altered, is going into the regular winter rotation. It comes from Sarah Bentley’s vegan cookbook, We Cook Plants.
It’s made with lentils and mushrooms, then topped with mashed potatoes and it’s the perfect one-dish meal for a wet day.
Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients:
1.4 kilograms (around 4 pounds) gold potatoes, halved, or quartered if large
250g cabbage (half of a small head), chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
250g sliced mushrooms (about a half pound)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast, plus 1 tablespoon
1.2 liters low-salt vegetable stock (5cups)
320g dried brown or green lentils (1.5 – 2 cups)
2 teaspoons dried herbs de Provence
2 dried bay leaves
250 milliliters unsweetened oat milk (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
5 walnuts
2 tablespoons hulled hemp seeds
Directions:
Put the potatoes in a large pan of water with a pinch of salt; bring to the boil. Simmer for 25 mins or until soft. Add the cabbage for the final 2-3 mins, then drain.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring regularly.
Stir in the mushrooms and cook for another 5 mins, then add the tomato purée. Heat the stock separately. Stir the 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast into the stock, then add to the vegetable mixture along with the lentils, herbs, bay leaves and a grind of black pepper. Cover and cook for 20 mins.
Drain the potatoes and cabbage, then return to the pan with the oat milk and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Mash well, then season to taste. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7/400°F
Check the lentils. If they look a bit dry, add 100-200 ml water and cook for 8 more mins. If a little thin, stir in 2 tablespoons of the mashed potatoes. Transfer to a baking dish; top with the mashed potatoes.
For the topping, chop the sunflower seeds and walnuts, add the remaining 1 tbsp nutritional yeast and a pinch of black pepper in a bowl and mix in the hemp seed. Sprinkle over the top.
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Let sit 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
