Devin Alexander’s Mom’s New Beef Stew

This is a great recipe for a Sunday afternoon while you're home doing the laundry. You'll have a great dinner and plenty of leftovers

Devin’s Tips: Don't worry, this stew isn't for only moms, but it's sure to taste as good as the one you grew up with. This is a great recipe for a Sunday afternoon while you're home doing the laundry. You'll have a great dinner and plenty of leftovers, which are just as good, if not better.

This recipe makes 4 (2 1/4-cup) servings.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon whole-grain oat flour
1/8 teaspoon garlic power
1/8 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Pinch of ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 pound top round steak, cut into 1" cubes
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces button mushrooms, each halved
1 onion, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cans (14 ounces each) lower-sodium, fat-free beef broth
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" cubes

Directions:
In a medium resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. 
Add the beef and shake the bag until all the cubes are coated. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Set a large nonstick soup pot over medium-high heat until it is hot enough for a spritz of water to sizzle on it. Add the oil. 
Add the reserved beef cubes to the pot in a single layer. 
Cook for about 1 minute per side, or until browned. Reduce the heat to medium. 
Add the mushrooms, onion, garlic, and thyme. 
Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon and scraping any browned bits from the pan bottom, for about 10 minutes, or until the onion is tender.
Add the broth and carrots. Increase the heat to high. When the broth comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low so the mixture simmers gently. Cover and cook for 45 minutes.
Somewhere between 1 1/2 and 2 hours of simmering, the meat will become extremely tender. If it is still tough, simmer it a bit longer.
Add the potatoes. Cook for 45 minutes, or until the beef is fork tender. Season with additional salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Nutritional info per serving: 275 calories, 31 g protein, 29 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat (2 g saturated), 50 mg cholesterol, 6 g fiber, 583 mg sodium.

Devin travels the country lecturing and consulting for major U.S. food and cookware companies. She’s on the Advisory Board of the American Culinary Federation’s Chef Child Foundation, Larry King Foundation’s Go-To-Chef to speak on “Obesity in America”, she recently returned from the White House as part of Michelle Obama’s, Chefs Move To Schools Program; and we are proud to have her as a contributor to SupermarketGuru.com - you can find her recipes and tips every Tuesday and visit her atwww.devinalexander.com.

Reprinted from The Biggest Loser Cookbook by Chef Devin Alexander and The Biggest Loser Experts and Cast. © 2006 by Universal Studios Licensing LLLP, The Biggest Loser and NBC Studios, Inc., and Reveille LLC. Permission granted by Rodale, Inc., Emmaus, PA 18098.