Beans in your beef stew make it deliciously leaner
Picture this: After a long day at the office (or at the kids’ soccer field or wherever) you turn the key to open your front door and you are greeted by the heady aroma of a steamy meaty stew. You have been richly rewarded for spending mere minutes in the morning assembling dinner in your slow cooker.
Fall officially kicks off the season of soups, roasts and stews. And that means it’s time to dig out your slow cooker. My favorite dish is an oldie but goodie – beef stew. But how to make a batch that satisfies without being too heavy? Enter today’s star ingredient – the chickpea!
This delightful little legume is my secret for adding lots of lean protein and fiber to many dishes. It’s hearty enough to hold its own alongside other proteins (so add it to soups, chilies and sautes). Or toss some chickpeas into salads or stir them into pasta dishes to boost the nutrition. You even can puree them and add a few creamy spoonfuls to brownie or muffin batters (not to mention make hummus).
And, did I mention how darned cheap these little guys are?
This beef stew with chickpeas is an earthy ode to fall.
SLOW COOKER BEEF
STEW WITH CHICKPEAS
Servings: 4
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 pound lean stew beef (such as top round), cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped pitted prunes
2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1/3 cup red wine
1 cup beef stock
15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, turmeric and a hefty pinch each of salt and pepper. Add the beef cubes and toss to coat evenly.
In a large saute pan over medium-high, heat the oil. Add the beef and brown on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Set aside.
Coat a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray, then arrange the onion on the bottom and the beef over it. Add the remaining ingredients, then cover and cook until meat is tender, about 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high. Taste, then season with salt and pepper.
Nutrition information per serving: 450 calories; 110 calories from fat (24 percent of total calories); 12 g fat (3.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 50 mg cholesterol; 51 g carbohydrate; 9 g fiber; 14 g sugar; 33 g protein; 800 mg sodium
This story was originally published October 21, 2014 at 1:26 PM with the headline "Beans in your beef stew make it deliciously leaner."