Friday, January 9, 2009

Hearty Vegetable Beef Stew

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

1 1/2 pounds lean beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
salt and pepper
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced and rinsed
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
3 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 parsnips, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 can (10oz) whole plum tomatoes, undrained
1 can (10 oz) canned whole potatoes
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup light beer
1 cup chicken broth

In a resealable bag or bowl, mix together the flour, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Add beef chunks and toss to coat.

In a large Dutch oven, saute the garlic and onions in olive oil until tender. Add the vegetables except for the potatoes and cook about 5 minutes longer. Add the seasoned meat to the pot and stir to mix. Cook until meat is browned. When the mixture gets very sticky, add the beer and chicken broth.

Bring to a boil and stir to combine, add canned potatoes, then simmer until vegetables are tender.

Tips and Tricks
Fresh potatoes will become too mushy, so be sure to use canned potatoes. Leeks can be sandy, so be sure to rinse and drain them well after slicing. I bought precleaned parsnips that just had to be peeled. When stirring the vegetables, use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to break apart the tomatoes. I also used marjoram and thyme in place of the basil and oregano.
Make It Healthier
Choose lean meat. Omit salt. Use low-sodium chicken broth.
How Kids Can Help
Peel vegetables. Shake bag to coat meat. Older kids can open cans.
Recipe Source
Adapted from the Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook by Tosca Reno

Nutrition Facts
one serving equals 315 calories, 20g protein, 35g carbs, 6 g fiber, 8 g sugars, 10g fat, 314mg sodium

1 comment:

Stephanie said...

ROCK ON MY COOKING COHORTS!

I made this for dinner tonight & it was SUPER! It went very well with the Beer Batter Quick Bread from my own blog.

It occurs to me that this would be very good as an Easter or St. Patrick's day meal with the addition of some lamb and a little cabbage...if you're into that sort of thing.