Set the oven to 375º

Cook the lentils. usually add 2 ½ cups of water to every 1 cup lentil and cook for about 15 minutes.

Put the skillet on medium heat and add the olive oil once the skillet heats up a little.

Chop the onions, garlic, carrots, celery and mushrooms into bite sized pieces. You don’t want them to be too big, otherwise it will be too difficult to eat.

Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

Add the carrots and mushrooms. Cook about 5 minutes or until mushrooms start to shrink a bit.

Mix the tomato paste with chicken broth until there are no clumps and everything is smooth.

Add the mixture to the skillet and work it in until everything is well coated. Cook for additional 8-10 minutes.

Add the cooked lentils, canned tomatoes, peas and celery and parsley. Mix everything together. I would suggest tasting some of the mixture to see if any more salt or pepper is needed. Let everything stew together while you’re getting the mashed potatoes ready.

Pop the mashed potatoes in the microwave and cook according to the instructions.

When the mashed potatoes are ready, spread them on top of the Shepherd’s Pie in an even layer. Make sure to cover the pie completely.

Cook in the oven for about 15 min or until the top of the pie starts to get golden.

Use fresh herbs to enhance the flavor and presentation.