Climate Conscious Cottage Pie

I grew up in rural Iowa, which means I was corn and beef and whole-milk fed. I said through high school, “I could never be vegetarian,” since meat was such a major part of my diet. In college, I started being introduced to dietary restrictions for both religious and personal reasons and began to understand the world of limited choices in restaurant and menu. This is also where I began to become passionate about Climate Change, and in particular, Food Waste which is a major contributor (and also an example of horrible resource management).

When I moved out on my own, and began cooking for myself, I toyed with a Mediterranean diet, and found I felt better. After some particularly upsetting stomach episodes, I decided to begin an elimination diet where I cutout foods which are known to cause digestive issues. That’s a lot of foods. I ate broccoli and quinoa a lot. Chickpeas were a life-saver for protein and feeling full. As I began to roll more foods back into my diet, I determined which ones caused issues: dairy, red (and fatty) meats, fried foods, and sugar. Well, perfect, because those are also the foods which contribute the most to greenhouse gasses. It seemed my body was instructing me in how to live more at peace with the world and community around me.

Thus began my journey with plant-based eating. I would later give up meat for lent and shift to eating meat in moderation – fish and chicken more often than pork more often than beef. A reverse hierarchy of their impact on my stomach and the planet.

My wife however (just casually dropping that I got married in October 2022), is a meat and potatoes kind of gal. She is happiest with a clean cut of steak and a pile of mashed potatoes to “dip” it in. I learned how to make a classic Cottage Pie as a way of loving her, but when I began limiting the amount of meat I ate, I needed an alternative. So, I swapped the pound of beef for a 15oz can of black beans and continued experimenting to land at one of our favorite recipes.

Are the measurements perfect? No. We operate under the “add as much as your heart tells you” principal when cooking, but these are good starts (until I can perfect it). Also feel free to add more veggies if you have them! We especially like including zucchini or corn. Add tougher veggies like the squash in with the onion and softer ones like corn or peas with the mushrooms.

I’ve read a lot of recipes but never written one, so I hope this gives enough structure to be worthy of a read while leaving enough room for your own improvisational style – your tastes and preferences. Happy eating, and I hope it provides all that cottage core comfort it does us!