A Favorite Recipe

Japanese Beef Stew – from the Biggest Loser Family Cookbook
(takes about 2 hours from start to finish)

If your family likes Asian flavors, this stew is likely to be a huge hit.  To save prep time look for Ore-Ida Steam n’ Mash Sweet Potatoes in your grocer’s freezer section.  Though they are designed to be served as mashed potatoes, they come as big pieces of microwavable frozen s.p.  Just substitute 1 pound of the frozen s.p. (no need to microwave) in place of the fresh ones.

Please note: if you taste the meat right after it’s been seared, it will be tough.  Somewhere between 1 ½ - 2 hours into cooking it at a simmer, it will become extremely soft – the meat breaks down and becomes so tender it will literally fall apart when speared with a fork.  If it’s tough when you taste it, you need to cook the stew a little longer.

 1 T whole grain oat flour (or white or wheat)

1/8 t garlic powder

Pinch black pepper

1 lb trimmed top round steak or London broil, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 t toasted sesame oil (I use olive)

6 whole scallions, ends trimmed and chopped

1 T fresh garlic

1 T minced peeled fresh ginger2 ¾ c lower-sodium, fat free beef broth

2 T lower-sodium soy sauce

1 6 oz can whole peeled straw mushrooms

4 small carrots peeled and cut into bite-sized rounds

1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

½ lb sugar snap peas

Salt, to taste

In medium bowl, combine flour, garlic powder, and pepper.  Add steak and toss to coat.  Refrigerate at least 15 minutes (I do this in the morning or the night before)

Place a large nonstick soup pot over medium-high heat.  When hot, add the oil, then the beef and cook to brown on all sides, about 1 minutes per side.  Reduce heat to medium, add scallions, garlic, and ginger.  Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon and scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until the garlic is tender, about 5 minutes.  Stir in broth, soy sauce, mushrooms, and carrots.  Turn heat to high and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 45 minutes (with broth boiling slightly).

 Add sweet potatoes, cover and cook until the beef is tender, 45 minutes or longer.  Add the snap peas and cook 5-10 minutes longer until peas are tender.  Season with salt and additional pepper.  Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

*It's so yummy.  Your family will definitely thank you for you!  I would double the batch for lunches; it's a 4 person meal.