lil carb Beef Stew

In preparation for the upcoming blizzard I stayed home from work and luckily I did because I am able to share this recipe with you!  Are you ready for the perfect snow day meal?! It's the kind of meal that will make you feel warm and fizzy inside. Even though snow is falling outside, inside you will be cuddly and satisfied with a belly good dinner.

Comfort food to the max!  OMG, it really is amazing!  The flavors in this classic comfort food dish are so savory you would never know that I modified it to be lower carb. Before this recipe I would think of beef stew as potatoes and dry meat- this recipe is the total opposite. You have to make it! Simple ingredients but loads of flavor.

I started out with traditional stew ingredients- onion, garlic, and carrots all diced and sautéed in veggie oil.




I use baby carrots because I always have them in my fridge and they are already prepped for dicing- less work for me!

Once the veggies are softened and getting brown edges I remove them to a plate - we'll add them back in in a lil bit!

Instead of a traditional all purpose flour dredge I used coconut flour. 

For the meat- the supermarket makes it SO easy - they had pre cut and trimmed "stew meat".  It was all meant to be! Once again- less work!  I salt and peppered the meat and dredged it in the coconut flour.

To the stew pot that I cooked the vegetables I added in some more vegetable oil and browned all sides of the meat. 

I had to do about 4 batches because I did not want to crowd the pan and steam the meat.  

Instead, I wanted a nice brown crust.  In between each batch I used a lil more oil.

Just look at that meat!  Still pink on the inside but a nice crust on the outside- that is what I'm lookin' for!

Yuuuummmmm!

After all of the meat is browned I poured in red wine!  Oh the heavenly aroma at this stage of the game... let that delicious smell perfume your kitchen and let the wine reduce. 

Scrap the bottom of the pan for all the great meat bits that were left behind! 

Once the wine is reduced, add the meat back into the pan along with the softened veggies.

Then everybody gets into the pot... First: 2 cans of whole tomatoes, a bay leaf, fresh oregano, parsley and thyme, and beef broth. I also add in a 1/2 can of water from the tomato can to get all the flavor out of it. 

As far as the fresh herbs go- check your supermarket.  For 99 cents you can get about 3 tbsp worth of fresh herbs all year round- just enough for a meal or two without breaking the bank!

Then I add in mushrooms (I used just white button mushrooms that were already prepped and sliced- again- super easy!) and baby carrots that I cut into 3rds but you could certainly leave them whole.

Bring this mixture to a boil then lower the heat and simmer with the lid ON for about 45 minutes. Mixing every so often. Then remove the lid and simmer another hour and 15 to hour and a half with the lid OFF.  

Add in salt and pepper to taste and serve garnishing with parsley and parmesan cheese!

Lil Carb Beef Stew: -Serves 6-8-

3 lb beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into chunks

Vegetable oil, divided about 9 Tbsp

1 large onion, minced

About 10 baby carrots cut into a small dice - 1/2 cup

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup coconut flour

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup red wine

2 28 oz cans of whole tomatoes 

- plus 1/2 can of water

1 3/4 cups beef broth

1 bay leaf

1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped

1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

1 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped- plus some for garnishing

6-8 oz white mushrooms, whatever your supermarket has

About 20 baby carrots cut into 3rds- about a cup

Parmesan cheese for garnish

Heat a stew pot on medium high heat and warm 1 Tbsp vegetable oil and sauté the onion and small diced carrots for about 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic in and cook for another minute, stirring often. Remove the veggies from the pan and heat 2 Tbsp vegetable oil in the same pot.  Salt and pepper the beef and dredge in the coconut flour. In about 4 batches brown the meat on all sides until a brown crust forms. Be careful not to crowd the pan. Before starting a new batch add in another 2 Tbsp vegetable oil. When the meat is done browning, remove it to a plate.  To the stew pot pour in the red wine and scrap the bottom of the pan to loosen all the flavorful meat bits.  Let the wine reduce for 5 minutes. Then add the meat and sautéed veggies back into the pot. Pour in the 2 cans of tomatoes plus the 1/2 can water, beef broth and the fresh herbs and bay leaf. Stir. Then add in the mushrooms and big carrot chunks. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to medium low and simmer with the lid ON for 45 minutes. Stir every so often. Then remove the lid and simmer with the lid OFF for another hour and 15 minutes to an hour and a half. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf and serve up a big bowl and garnish with chopped parsley and parmesan cheese.