Slow Cooker Low-Calorie Beef Stew Recipe

Nothing is better than a comforting beef stew on a cold winter's night. But most beef stew recipes can add up when it comes to the calorie count due to the typical "Beef stew" Cut of meat and rich beef stock. As a leaner but still flavorful alternative, this recipe uses top sirloin, which is a naturally leaner cut of meat. The high-calorie beef stock is replaced by water and tomato juice. But don't worry, there is no loss of taste. The slow cooking of the stew allows the flavors to meld and create a thick, hearty meal. Many beef stew recipes call for browning the meat first to add another layer of flavor, but it isn't necessary. Some slow cookers have a sautee feature which can be especially useful here. If you prefer to brown the meat, do that first. Either cook the pieces of beef in a tablespoon of canola or olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until brown on all sides or brown the beef right in your slow cooker. Then either add the meat to the slow cooker with the water and onion or add the ingredients and turn on the slow cooker function. This slow-cooked beef stew makes an excellent meal for any weeknight or weekend as almost all of the cooking time is unattended. Filled with carrots, potatoes, and tomatoes it is a complete and delicious meal. If you prefer, serve the beef stew over butter noodles, with crusty bread, or even a bright and acidic salad. Do take note of the recipe. The first step will cook in the slow cooker for one hour, more ingredients are added, and then the rest cooks for seven hours. While it's not a complete "Set and forget" Recipe, it's worth sticking around the additional hour for. Save any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. Larger (or smaller lunch-sized) portions can be frozen in a sealed container for up to 6 months.