Lighter Vegetable Pot Pie

 I hope you are getting ready to spend Thanksgiving enjoying your family, friends, and good food. I am thankful for YOU for visiting me here, your kind comments, encouragement, and support that makes this blog a success. 

There always seems to be a lot of leftovers after Thanksgiving. And maybe that's the best part. Who doesn't love a post-Thanksgiving sandwich with cranberry sauce?! If you find yourself with extras you want to turn into another dinner this week, a pot pie made with light phyllo dough instead of a heavy pastry crust is perfect. Simply add your leftover cooked veggies (carrots, peas, squash, potatoes all work great) to the simple sauce. And if you don't have leftovers... just roast up some delicious veggies and you will have an easy and healthy dinner to battle the T-Day bulge.  Feel free to throw in bits of leftover turkey or rotisserie chicken, and whatever veggies you have on hand. I love baking these in little ovensafe bowls for the kids.

Happy Thanksgiving! I wish you a safe, happy, healthy, and delicious day. Cheers! 

Vegetable Pot Pies
printer friendly recipe 

Serves 4-6

*If using leftover cooked vegetables, you will need about 7 cups.
3 large carrots, sliced
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
8 oz. peeled cipollini onions (Trader Joe's sells them peeled!)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
2 cups green beans, cut into bite sized pieces
1 cup frozen peas
3 tablespoons Earth Balance or butter
1/3 cup flour
1 cup milk (I used 2% because that's what I had, use what you have on hand)
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
5 sheets phyllo dough
cooking spray or melted butter

If roasting fresh vegetables rather than using leftover cooked vegetables, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place carrots, butternut squash, and onions on a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast 30 minutes or until just becoming tender when poked with a fork, but still firm in the middle. Add the green beans to the pan and toss to coat with the oil. Return to the oven and roast until beans are tender crisp, about 5 minutes longer.  Stir in the peas and set aside.

Heat the butter in a large pot over medium low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for one minute, whisking constantly. Whisk in the milk until smooth. Whisk in the vegetable broth, parsley, and thyme. Simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir the vegetables (and any turkey, chicken, etc. if using) into the sauce. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Transfer the vegetable mixture to ovensafe bowls or a baking dish.

Lay phyllo dough on the counter and quickly spray cooking spray or brush butter between layers. Cut layered dough into squares that will just fit over the bowls or baking dish. Place on top and cut a small slit so that steam can escape.

Bake uncovered until dough is golden brown, about 20 minutes.