Healthy Fish Pie

Healthy Fish Pie

Serves 4-6

I just love an all-in meal that you can freeze, and when one is this darn tasty it makes me feel like a proper domestic goddess! So although this takes longer to prepare than a piece of grilled fish and veggies, for example, you reap the benefits in the weeks to come and it is so very worth it!  The relief of opening the freezer when you are exhausted and have no fresh food in the fridge, and seeing a ready made, healthy and delicious meal waiting for you is second to none!  I am also so ‘done’ by the time I put my kids to bed, that the thought of having to go down into the kitchen and make something nutritious yet delicious from scratch sometimes makes me want to curl up into the foetal position and audibly moan whilst sucking my thumb!  I waaaaay prefer prepping food during the day while the kids are at school so that I have to do as little as possible come 7.30pm. And this meal is just perfect for that!

It is cosy and comforting and very much welcome on these extra chilly nights we’re having.   When I was younger, I used to shy away from fish pie, thinking that it was just a bowl of fishy cream, but this is just so very tasty and also packed with a ton of veggies too, it really does make the perfect dinner.  I feel like traditional fish pies, whilst yummy, don’t provide a ton of vitamins and minerals, due to the lack of vegetables in them.  But this version packs in leeks, spring onions, spinach, peas and a root vegetable medley too, so it’s an all-round winner in my eyes!

One serving provides 420 calories, 28g of good quality protein and 8g of fibre, but it’s really the micronutrient content that makes it so wonderful.  It provides 67% of my vitamin C, 30% of my calcium and 12% of my daily iron requirements.  To top it off, it also provides a whopping 331% of my vitamin A, from all of the beta carotene in the butternut quash and sweet potatoes. This makes it an excellent immune booster as the antioxidant vitamins A & C really help protect our bodies from viruses.

NOTE: I only made the rainbow veggie topping stripes for aesthetic reasons – when I’m not taking photos of it, I just simply steam and mash a 1kg mixture of root vegetables all together.

INGREDIENTS

For the topping

·     900g – 1kg Root Vegetable Medley (I used a combo of Butternut Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Parsnips and Potatoes)
·     50mls Milk
·     20g Butter
·     1 tbsp Dijon Mustard (or less if you aren’t keen on mustard)
·     60g Grated Cheddar
·     Salt & Fresh Black Pepper 

For the middle

·     350ml Semi Skimmed Milk
·     25g Butter 
·     25g Flour (I used Spelt)
·     6 Spring Onions 
·     100g Leeks
·     45g Spinach
·     90g Frozen Peas
·     Approximately 380g Mixed Fish (Cod, Salmon, Smoked Haddock etc)
·     2 tsp Dijon mustard
·     Handful of Fresh Chives
·     Handful of Fresh Dill
·     Zest and Juice from 1 Lemon
·     Salt & Fresh Black Pepper 

METHOD

·     Pre-heat the oven to 180C.

For the topping

·     Peel and chop your root veggies of choice, and steam them until soft.
·     When cooked, mash them with a splash of milk, some butter, the grated cheddar and a tbsp Dijon mustard.
·     Season with salt and fresh black pepper to taste.  Set aside while you prepare the rest.

For the middle

·     Slice the leeks and spring onions.
·     Cut the fish into small cubes.
·     Snip the chives and dill.
·     In a saucepan, heat the butter and lightly sauté the leeks and onions for several minutes before adding the flour, stirring regularly. 
·     Cook for another minute or two.
·     Slowly add the milk, whisking continually to get rid of any lumps. 
·     Bring to the boil, stirring to avoid sticking at the bottom of the pan. 
·     Take off the heat and add the lemon juice and zest, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, the chopped fresh dill and chives, the frozen peas, spinach, and lastly the fish.  
·     Put it back on the hob and cook on a low heat for 4-5 minutes.
·     Either spoon it into a large ovenproof or else cook in 4-6 individual ramekins.   
·     Spoon the mashed root veggies on top.
·     Pop in the oven for 20 - 25 mins until golden and bubbling at the edges.
·     Alternatively, cover and freeze. Defrost fully before cooking.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Calories – 420
Protein – 28g
Fat – 16g
Carbohydrates – 45g
Fibre – 8g
Vitamin A – 331%
Vitamin C – 67%
Calcium – 30%
Iron – 12%