Healthier Shepherd's Pie

Happy St. Patty's Day!  Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
 1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 1/2 cups diced onion
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 pounds ground lamb (or lean turkey or organic beef or bison)
1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt, plus more as needed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 pound button or cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
3 cups cooked carrots and turnips (chop & simmer in skillet with water filled half way until tender)
1 large egg
4 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes,
1/4 cup grated Daiya vegan cheddar

Directions Grease a 3-quart 2- to 3-inch-deep gratin dish or casserole with a 1 teaspoon melted coconut oil. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring frequently, until golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute more. Add the meat, break it up with a wooden spoon, and cook until the meat loses its red color, about 5 minutes. Add the 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more. Add the crushed tomatoes and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and spoon off any excess fat if needed. Stir in the parsley and add salt and pepper to taste. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the mushrooms until golden, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the meat mixture over the bottom of the casserole, top with the mushrooms, and then the carrots and turnips. Beat the egg into the potatoes and spread them completely over the vegetables to finish the pie. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until heated through.
If desired, sprinkle on the cheese on top and broil the pie under a preheated broiler. Serve immediately.

*recipe modified from food network