4 S's Recipe #4: Stew

Kickstart the NEW Year with the 4 S's for OPTIMAL HEALTH: Smoothie, Soup, Salad & Stew.

Stews are EASY to make, fill your belly and warm your soul. Pop the ingredients in a dutch oven or slow cooker and let the LOW and SLOW cooking lead to BIG flavor and lots of nutrition in one pot!

Whether you decide to make a grass fed beef or lamb stew, chicken or turkey a fish stew, or a plant-based stew, you need to first consider the FLAVORS you want - Add spice NOT salt. Use minimal salt, and LOTS of spices to add flavor and boost nutrition.

Here are some questions to ask:

1. What flavors do you want? Curry, classic, spicy, savory?

2. Whats your protein? Meat, beans, fish, lentils?

3. What liquid base? Stock, paste, sauce, wine, beer?

4. What veggies can you add? Squash, carrots, celery, zucchini, broccoli, beets, etc.

5. How am I cooking this? Pot/dutch oven or slow cooker?

My Favorite Grass-fed Beef or Lamb Stew Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. grass-fed beef or lamb stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 large onion, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup organic bone broth + 2 cups beef or lamb broth

• 2 tablespoons organic tomato paste

• 2 teaspoons dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 bay leaf

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 lb. organic potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

• 2 large organic carrots, cut into 1/2-inch slice

• 4 celery stalks chopped

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef or lamb cubes and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 7 to 8 minutes.

2. Add the diced onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.

3. Pour in the bone broth and cook for 1 minute, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

4. Add the beef or lamb broth, herbs and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 45 minutes.

5. Add the potatoes, celery and carrots and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

6. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot. Enjoy!

Follow @smallhinges for more recipes and tips!

Love & yum,

Lindz