Old Fashioned Beef Stew

(Copy and Paste)

Old Fashioned Beef Stew
1 lb lean beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons all-purpose organic flour
2 teaspoons olive oil or grapeseed oil
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced, (about 3 cups)
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups organic beef broth
4 cups sliced carrots
2 medium red potatoes, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1 cup 1-inch frozen green beans (thawed)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Coat beef with flour and shake off excess. In a large nonstick pot, heat oil over medium-
    high heat. Add beef, saute until browned for about 5-6 minutes. Remove meat and place
    on a plate.

2. Add onions and mushrooms to pot, saute for 5-6 minutes. Add garlic, saute, stirring for 1
    minute. Pour off fat. Return beef to pot; stir in tomato paste, then add broth. Add enough
    water to just cover, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, simmer until beef is tender for
    about 1 1/4 hours. Skim off any foam.

3. Add potatoes, carrots, and green beans. Cover partially and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and the cold water; stir into stew. Increase the heat and
    boil uncovered for 1 minute. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve. (Serves 6)

(Cooking Tips)
Browning beef before simmering it in a stew produces juicy, extra-flavorful meat. Pat the
meat dry with paper towels before adding it to the hot pan. (Beef also scores high in
protein and iron).

When sauteing onion and garlic, saute the onion first. Onion needs a longer cooking time,
and garlic may burn if cooked for a long period of time on high heat.