Basic Beef Stew with Carrots and Mushrooms

This classic beef stew recipe has all you expect in beef stew; tender chunks of beef, carrot and potato. The cremini mushrooms are a wonderful surprise! (My husband, David would have preferred more potatoes and less mushrooms but I personally can never have too many mushrooms.....so adjust based on your family's preferences!) This recipe comes from Cooking Light magazine, January 2006 -Claire

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 pound small cremini mushrooms
Cooking spray
2 cups chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 pounds lean beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 (14 ounce) cans less-sodium beef broth
1 bay leaf
2 cups (3/4-inch) cubed peeled white potato (about 1 pound)
1 1/2 cups (1-inch) slices carrot
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Preparation
Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, and saute for 5 minutes or until mushrooms begin to brown. Spoon mushrooms into a large bowl. Lightly coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, saute 10 minutes or until tender and golden brown. Add garlic, saute 1 minute. Add onion mixture to mushroom mixture.

Place flour in a shallow bowl or pie place. Dredge beef in flour, shaking off excess. Heat remaining 3 teaspoons oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add half of bee mixture; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Cook 6 minutes, browning on all sides. Add browned beef to mushroom mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining beef mixture and 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Add 1 cup wine to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add thyme, broth, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Stir in beef mixture. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 1 hour or until beef is just tender.

Stir in potato and carrot. Simmer, uncovered, 1 hour and 15 minutes or until beef and vegetables are very tender and sauce is thick, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 303
Calories from fat: 29%
Fat: 9.8 g
Saturated fat: 3.2 g
Monounsaturated fat: 4.7 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.6 g
Protein: 26.4 g
Carbohydrate: 26.8 g
Fiber: 2.3 g
Cholesterol: 71 mg
Iron: 3.9 mg
Sodium: 494 mg
Calcium: 54 mg