Beef & Vegetable Stew

Lately it seems like I’ve been on a beef kick – with beef in the news and our post about the different cuts of beef, I decided to cook up some beef myself. What could be better on these cold winter nights than a warm, hearty, and filling stew?! Here’s my beef stew that has lots of vegetables and beans added for more nutritional value and delicious flavor!

Beef & Vegetable Stew
Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, cut in half
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into pieces
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 cups beef broth (preferably low-sodium)
• 12 ounces water
• 1 pound peeled and cubed sweet potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups sliced carrots (about 1-inch thick rounds)
• 1 medium parsnip, sliced (about 1-inch thick rounds)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 can low- or no-sodium added white beans, drained and rinsed

Directions:

1. Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté for about 5 minutes until they begin to brown. Transfer the mushrooms into a large bowl.
2. Coat the pot with cooking spray. Add the onion and sauté for about 10 minutes, until tender and golden brown. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Transfer the onion and garlic to the large bowl with the mushrooms.
3. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil in the pot over medium-high heat. Add half the beef mixture and cook for about 6 minutes, until the beef is browned on all sides. Transfer the beef to the mushroom mixture and repeat with the other half of the beef.
4. Add the red wine to the pot, scraping the pan to loosen the browned bits. Add the thyme, broth, and water to the pot and bring to  a boil. Stir in the beef and mushroom mixture. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for about 1 hour, until the beef is just tender.
5. Stir in the sweet potatoes, carrots, and parsnip. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for at least 1 hour or until the beef and vegetables are very tender and the sauce is thick. Stir in the white beans and season with salt and pepper. Cook for at least another 30 minutes for all the flavors to meld.

Cooking Tip: Beef stew gets better with time — the longer it cooks the more the meat softens and the more the flavors come together.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 368 calories, 29 g protein, 31 g carbohydrate, 7 g fiber, 12 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 74 mg cholesterol, 300 mg sodium