{yummy} healthy beef stew

'baby, it's cold outside.' actually, no, it's not. it's in the 60s here in northern virginia and i don't quite understand it. my friends tell me it's global warming. my family tells me it's the calm before the storm and we're going to have a cray cray winter. to be honest- i don't care. i like winter and everything that comes with it. the holidays. the decorations. the cozy fireplace. heavy sweaters and cute coats. and hearty meals. so- i'm hangry- hungry and angry for a hearty winter meal.

i was doing my weekly shopping at trader joe's and casually walked by the meat area, but slowly backpedaled and just stopped. see, i don't eat a ton of red meat. it's not that i don't like it- i believe it's a combination of the expense of meats and how i am easily satisfied with more sensible meals. so i stood there- probably looking crazy because who stands staring at meat? (that's what she said. haha.) something easy, hearty, and filled to the rim with red meat? yes, i am referring to stew.

i'm imagining that stew started out as an easy cheap meal for families to make. see, you can put tougher cuts of meat in a stew because it cooks longer and therefore has more time to breakdown the proteins creating a more tender cut. it's also chock full of root vegetables. but i did find a unique version that is weight watchers friendly! thanks, slender kitchen! hooray!

healthy beef stew

1.5 lbs lean stewing beef, cut into 1 inch chunks
1/2 lb chopped carrots (2-3)
1/2 lb chopped parsnips (2-3)
1 pound chopped red potatoes, with skins
3 chopped celery ribs
1 medium onion, diced
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups water
3 cloves of  garlic, 2 peeled whole cloves and 1 finely diced clove
2 bay leaves
1.5 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 tsp ground allspice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups fat free beef broth (you could eliminate or reduce this depending on how thick you want your beef stew)

*as you can see from the picture i did adjust the recipe slightly based on convienence. i.e pre-cut mirepoix, minced garlic from the jar, and i was lacking cornstarch- substituted with flour.

heat vegetable oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. add beef and brown on all sides.

add in water, onions, garlic, smoked paprika, bay leaves, worcestershire sauce, allspice, salt, pepper, and sugar. cover and simmer for 90 minutes.

add potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and celery to pot, as well as any additional beef broth you are using. cook for an additional 45-60 minutes or until the beef is fork tender and shreds easily.  cooking time will depend on the cut and size of your beef.

mix the flour with a small amount of cold water and stir together. pour into the stew to thicken the meal and bring to a boil. immediately turn off the heat and let rest before serving. 

the funniest part of this for me was cooking with parsnips. i never have and i kept eyeing them at trader joe's, so the minute i saw this recipe included them i was sooo excited. kinda like this...

so plate up and enjoy. :)

xoxo Lauren