Deliciously Healthy Red Potato, Leek and Onion Pie

A beautifully moist and finely layered pie made with fresh organic vegetables, raw oak milk and a super-tasty real cheese and smoked paprika topping

Hi, I’m Sue and I write about the beauty and ingenuity of Nature, and how we can deepen our connection for our optimum health and wellbeing. Discover more Nature-inspired content on Spiral Leaf, Twitter and my video Nature Channel.

A fulfilling meal or substantial side-dish

I love making this dish when I am busy with work and need a quick, tasty boost that I can devour in slices or serve with steamed vegetables for a delicious and hearty supper.

I make this versitille, one hundred per cent healthy, vegetable pie in a large batch split between two glass pirex dishes - one for today and one in the fridge for tomorrow or the next day.

The key is to slice everything nice and thin to create fine layers using all the vegetables you desire. The ones I use are included in the recipe below and together with how to prepare them.

For best results, I always recommend using organic vegetables and ingredients to ensure full nutritional value, and to avoid anything with man-made additives, preservatives, colourings, sweeteners, fillers or sythetic flavours.

Buying organic makes you want to learn how to prerpare, store and cook your vegetables, herbs, spices, nuts, beans and fruits in creative ways. It doesn’t exclude organic meat and fish either. I just prefer to stick to vegetables and some choice dairy like local Cheddar Cheese.

Enjoy taking time to experiment to create tasty meals you can rely on, you will savour them all the more.

Find out how to prepare, make and serve this wonderful pie and learn more about the natural health benefits below.

FRESH INGREDIENTS

Select organic ingredients where possible for highest nutritional value

4-5 x Red Potatoes (thinly sliced)

2-3 x Red Onions (thinnly sliced)

2 x Carrots (wafer-thinly sliced)

1-2 x Leeks (thinly sliced)

4 x Garlic Cloves (chopped)

1 x 150 mls - Raw Oat Milk (or Raw Coconut Milk)

1 x Large bunch of Flat Leaved Parsley

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Ground or Flaked Sea Salt

1 x 250 gms Mature Cheddar Cheese (grated)

1-2 x 1 tsp Smoked Paprika

[The above measurements are approximate to fill one Glass Pirex Dish or two, or whatever dishes you are using. All ingredients can be increased for larger casseroles or for extra dishes made to freeze and bake later].

YOU WILL NEED

1-2 x 8 inch Glass Pirex Cooking Dishes

Tin foil to cover Pirex Dishes for half the cooking time.

Grater with large and regular grating size options

HOW TO MAKE YOUR PIE

Prepare ingredients and vegetables before cooking

1) Wash and peel all vegetables ready to slice whole and thinly.

2) Grate the carrots in wafer-thin slices with a large grater - take care doing this to avoid cutting your fingers.

3) Peel and finely chop the Garlic.

4) Layer each of your glass pirex over-wear dishes with half the potato, all the red onion and sprinkle with the chopped garlic (to taste).

5) Add layers of carrot and leeks with the last layer being the other half of the potato.

5) Add ground salt and black pepper (to taste).

6) Add Raw Oat Milk to cover the base of each dish by a 1/4 to 1/3 (depending on how moist you want it to be). The moister the better in my experience.

7. Grate the Cheddar Cheese to pile on top of the potato with a generous sprinkling of Smoked Paprika Peper.

[NOTE: If you want a less cripsy and more moist topping, cover with tin foil for the first half of the cooking time and add the cheese and paprika towards the end of the cooking time with the tin foil removed].

HOW TO COOK

Oven Temperature, Cooking Time and Serving.

1) Pre-heat oven to 150 degrees C - boost to 180 degrees C for the last 15 minutes for a crisper cheese topping.

2) Put both glass pirex dishes (or one with the other in the fridge to cook within the next few days) and bake for 45 minutes (or until all the vegetables are soft when you test with a knife) at 15 degrees C. Add more Raw Oat Milk and a lid of tin foil to prevent the potatoes and/or cheese topping from burning or drying out during the cooking time.

3) Take out of the oven and remove the foil. Add the grated cheese and a good sprinkling of Smoked Paprika.

4) Return to oven and cook for a further 15-20 minutes at 180 degrees C depending on how crispy you like your topping.

5) Serve hot with chooped parsley on its own or as a side-dish.

Bon appetite!

NUTRITIONAL VALUE

All the organic ingredients in this recipe have superb nutritional value and health benefits. If you want to learn more, I wrote a post about Going Organic with tips on how to cleans and gradually make the change.

At this point, please note that I am not a Naturopath or an expert in diet and nutrition. All the information I provide is from my own through research, discerning comparison, truthful and well researched source material and my own experience to date.

Red Onion

The ultimate vegetable for antibacterial protection and for enhancing the body’s production of B12. High in trace minerals zinc, manganese, iodine and selenium, all onions help to rejuvenate the skin and protect the lungs whilst boosing immunity, the repair system and circulation. Note that red onions contain a higher amount of antioxidants (quercetin and anthocyanin) and cancer prevention properties.

Red Potato

Red potatoes are an excellent source of flavonoid antioxidants like quercetin, kaempferol-rutinose, catechin and rutin. They contain twice the amount of flavonoids compared to white potatoes and are a rich source of vitamin C and potassium which helps regulate blood pressure, relax blood cells and support heart health.

Carrots

A good source of fibre and carbohydrate for energy-making with minerals including biotin and potassium, and vitamins A (from beta carotene), K1 (phylloquinone) and B6. Carrots contain many plant compounds, including carotenoids which have a powerful antioxidant activity linked to improved immunity and repair system function, reducing the risk of many illnesses, including heart disease, various degenerative ailments, and certain types of cancer.

Leeks

Leeks contain a high level of vitamin K, which is important for blood clotting and bone health. They also contain vitamins A and C, which are important for a healthy immune system and skin. Leeks are also a good source of folate, a B-vitamin that's essential for cell growth and development. Leeks are also high in fibre.

Raw Garlic

A single garlic clove contains manganese, vitamins B6 and C, selenium and fibre. Fresh garlic is high in antioxidants that support the body’s protective mechanisms against oxidative damage. Garlic has been shown to increase antioxidant enzymes in humans, as well as significantly reduce oxidative stress in those with high blood pressure. Garlic has been used for thousands of years due to its wide range of medicinal properties essential for cleansing and protecting the body, and for overall good health.

Raw Oat Milk

Raw oat milk (with nothing added) is an excellent source of many vitamins, minerals, and fiber including vitamin B12, riboflavin, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D, vitamin A, potassium and iron.

Black Pepper and Sea Salt

A brilliant combination of mineral rich compounds that help with the extraction of nutrients from food for immediate use in the body. Sea Salt is essential for healthy cleansing and hydration, and ground black pepper provides vitamins such as A, K and C with minerals including calcium, potassium and sodium.

Fresh Parsley

Used on a regular basis, parsley alkalizes the entire body, crossing body systems and driving out acidity across the board. Mineral salts are a large part of what makes parsley so effective where specialised mineral salts bind onto unproductive acids in the body to drive them out. This alkalizing skill makes parsley helpful for preventing and battling every type of disease or cancer. 

[My first dish was a little on the dry side as I didn’t cover with tin foil at the beginnin. Even so, it was extremely tasty and moorish. Make sure to add enough Raw Oat Milk to cover the bottom of the dish and top up during cooking if necessary].

I hope you feel inspired to try this simple and tasty recipe. Quick and easy to make and handy to freeze for baking later as well. It’s full of goodness and looks great too!

Cooking with healthy food is so good for the soul - I hope you enjoy and look forward to seeing you again soon!