Mini Pot Pies With Black Lentil, Fennel, and Thyme

These pot pies are exactly as they sounds; a blend of vegetables including fennel, celery, carrots, and potatoes with lentils and herby thyme - it's a hearty and comforting veg-packed dish that's healthy too. This classic dish was made healthier by reducing the amount of pie crust needed and baking the meal into adorable, portion controlled dishes! So you can feel guilt-free about succumbing to your yearning for pie.

Mini Pot Pies With Black Lentil, Fennel, and Thyme [Vegan, Gluten-Free]

Ingredients

• 4 ramekins; 4 inches wide by 2 inches high
• 1 sheet frozen pie pastry, thawed (gluten-free if necessary)
• 1/2 cup black lentils
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 small white onions
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 fennel bulb
• 3 celery sticks
• 3 large carrots, peeled
• 3 medium russet potatoes
• 5-6 springs thyme (approximately 2 tablespoons), stems removed
• 1/3 cup vegetable stock
• Olive oil, for brushing pie crust
• Sea salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Add water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour in lentils and boil for 12-15 minutes, or until cooked. Strain lentils and place to the side.
2. Dice onion and garlic and chop fennel, celery, carrots, and potatoes. Add coconut oil to saucepan and bring to medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables becomes translucent in color.
3. Add fennel, carrots, celery, potatoes, and thyme to the saucepan and stir. Add more salt and pepper and cook for another 10-12 minutes stirring occasionally. Pour lentils and vegetable stock into the saucepan and continue to cook until broth lessens to lightly cover the vegetables, approximately 5-10 minutes.
4. Lay sheet of pie pastry on flat surface and cut 4 circles to be 1-inch wider than ramekins. To do this, turn ramekin face down onto pastry and lightly trace around them with a knife to be one inch wider.
5. Pour brothy vegetables into ramekins and top each with puff pastry round. Pinch the ends to of the pastry with your forefinger and thumb, working your way entirely around the edge of the pies for a textured effect. Lightly paint pastry with olive oil and cut three small slits in the center of each pie.
6. Transfer mini pot pies to oven to bake for 30 minutes until golden brown, then reduce heat to 350°F and bake for another 30 minutes.

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/mini-pot-pies-with-black-lentils/