It’s been way too long since I’ve posted a recipe. I’ve been struggling with my gluten-freeness over the holidays. I haven’t been making healthy food a priority and my health has suffered because of it. So that’s one of the things I’m going to be working on in the New Year. My proposed 2014 improvements is a very long list since I’ve been an absolute slacker and Netflix addict as of late. A  TV series  recommendation will immediately follow this post.

We’ve been having amazing summertime weather. I shopped for our Christmas tree in shorts and flip-flops. So when we had a rare winter-like rainy weekend, I managed to throw together some beef stew that both the husband and I agreed was damn good. I used to use a spice pack before I had to give up gluten. This time, I used a slow cooker and a lot of red wine, but the flavors came together with little effort on my part. Yay and double yay. Here it is:

Ingredients:

2 lbs cubed beef for stew
gluten-free flour (Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free all-purpose flower is a staple in my pantry)
beef broth (I bought a carton that came with 4 cups. Very available in all grocery stores.)
red wine
frozen pack of stew vegetables (The first word in this recipe is easy. The frozen pack has cut and peeled carrots, potatoes and celery. You can replace with fresh. Not as easy.)
Herbes De Provence (my new favorite dried herb mix)
one bay leaf
fresh mushrooms
fresh green beans (I bought a pre-cleaned and cut pack, but I think I’ll just add frozen peas for fiber next time)

Pull out a 4 quart Crock Pot and heat it on warm. Coat the beef in the gluten-free flower. Brown the meat on the stove with a bit of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the meat to the Crock Pot and add 3 cups of beef broth. The meat doesn’t have to be all the way cooked because you’ll be cooking it for a few hours before you add veggies. Depending on time, cook the meat on high for 2 hours on high or around 3-4 on low. Add the pack of frozen veggies, the herbs (about a 1 1/2 tablespoons), and a cup of red wine. Go ahead and add the mushrooms and beans. I waited a bit and the beans took  longer to cook than I thought. Cook a couple of more hours on low or less on high, depending on your time limits. Hope this recipe isn’t too vague, but the flavors really come together in the slow cooker and there is lots of room for experimentation.

Wishing you all a safe and Happy New Years!