I had a heart attack a couple of months ago, which required triple bypass surgery. Since I’m a widower, I make all my own cooking. This wake-up call made me re-evaluate my eating habits. So instead of the junk food I used to live with, I now want to eat delicious, heart-healthy foods that are easy to prepare. If they’re going to last more than one meal, that’s a plus I like.
Quite frankly, my beef stew is not only heart-healthy and super delicious, but it’s also super easy to make.
And you can freeze it in individual servings to thaw in the microwave and enjoy anytime you want a quick, easy and satisfying meal. Just add a couple of slices of whole wheat bread and you’re good to go.
While my beef stew is easy to prepare, it does take some time. So allow about 3 hours or so of cooking time. I start my stew at 2:00 to enjoy it at 5:00 for lunch.
I look at the stewed beef chunks at the local grocery store trying to buy a package that looks as lean as possible. Then I use a paring knife and carving board to cut any bits of anything that isn’t meat. This includes fat, cartilage, etc. I cut the chunks into smaller pieces about the size of the last joint of my thumb.
I use a large pot with a lid and fill it 1/3 full with hot tap water. I put the pieces of meat, put the lid on and put it on the stove at ¾ temperature. Keep an eye on it for the next 15 minutes or so, and if it shows signs of boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer with the lid on. At this point (after 15 minutes of boiling), use a spoon to skim off any fats that have boiled over and risen to the top. Beef fat isn’t heart healthy, but the meat itself is.
After about 2 1/4 hours of boiling (stirring occasionally), start preparing the vegetables. Peel 2-3 medium sized white potatoes and cut into small pieces. Add to jar. Peel and slice a medium cooked onion and place it in the pot along with a package of sliced brown mushrooms. Add any other vegetables you like. I like to chop up 4 stalks of celery, open a small can of kidney beans, grab some frozen wax beans, and chop up a couple of carrots. They go to the pot.
Bring the heat back up to a boil, then lower to a simmer, as before. Leave the lid on.
Right now, I add spices… but NO SALT!
I like to use a little minced garlic (bottled…no prep required), tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, ground vegetable seasoning, dried parsley, and rosemary.
Finish cooking until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork, then remove the pot from the heat.
If there’s a lot of liquid left, I don’t want to throw it away because it contains all kinds of nutritious ingredients, so I add a little bit of flour to thicken it up.
I eat what I want for dinner (usually too much) and freeze the rest in individual size Tupperware containers.
That way, all I have to do is put the container in the microwave for 1 minute, so it loosens up and I can easily dump it into a bowl. I microwave the bowl for an additional 4 minutes to thaw and heat through the stew. Then to the table to enjoy eating more.
Ah, yes… while the stew is cooking, I prepare a gelatin pudding… the kind that doesn’t have sugar. I make it with skim milk for a heart-healthy dessert that perfectly complements the stew.
Enjoy your meal!