‘Tis the Season for EASY, SIMPLE, COMFORTING and YUMMY eats right?! If I can make something in 1 pot, even better!!! I purchased the beef from my local Whole Foods for under $6.00 so this can certainly fit in any budget!
Ingredients 
(for 2 Dinner Servings PLUS Leftovers for 1 Day)
1.5 lb Lean Beef Stew Meat
2 Celery Stalks
2 Carrots
1 Onion
4 Garlic Cloves
1 TBSP Dried Thyme
1/4 Red Wine
1/2 Beef Stock
1/4 Tomato Sauce or Crushed Tomatoes
Canola Oil
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder and a touch of Flour for dusting the meat.
1. Season the Beef liberally with salt, pepper, garlic powder and drizzle with oil. Then add a bit of Flour so it has a light dusting. Sear/brown the meat in a cast iron pan or slow cooker insert.
2. Dice up the veggies. I prefer the veggies to be small and diced so it makes for a thick/creamy sauce as opposed to thick chunks of mushy vegetables, but it’s all preference. Once the beef is brown, I remove the beef and sauté the Veg – add more oil if you have to.
3. Once the veggies are golden, add the Thyme and deglaze the pan with the red wine scraping up all the brown bits off the bottom. After 2-3 minutes, add the rest of the liquid… and then finally the meat back in. You want the meat to be covered 3/4 the way up!
4. If you are using a Cast Iron pan and an oven – preheat to 275 and cook for 2.5-3 hours. If you are using a Slow Cooker, cook on Low for 6-8 depending on how small/large your pieces of Beef are.
What to serve this with or on?!?
Now… you could go the Classic route and do an Egg Noodle or Pasta… maybe some luxurious Papperdelle?
Or, if you are trying to take the leaner, healthier route – I would encourage you to use Spaghetti Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Quinoa or some kind of Pasta Substitute.
I used the Banza Chickpea Pasta. The noodles alone did candidly catch me off guard as a foreign invader, but once my Stew was over
them, you honestly couldn’t tell (my husband didn’t say a word – and I never told him SHHH).
Enjoy!!!!
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