Autumn is the transition from summer to winter, in September (Northern Hemisphere) or March (Southern Hemisphere), when the duration of daylight becomes noticeably shorter. We usually also experience a drop in temperature as the leaves begin to change colors and fall to the ground.
This year it appears that Mother Nature didn’t quite get the full memo that it’s Autumn (global warming anyone?), but that doesn’t mean I haven’t already donned my home with burnt orange and maize yellow decorations and traded in my flipflops for boots. And, of course, I’ve pulled out some of my favorite fall recipes, especially soups and stews. First up is my favorite crockpot beef stew.
There are many variations of crockpot beef stews, but one in particular I have been making over the years is synonymous with fall—mainly because it includes seasonal produce like crisp apples and carrots.
This is one of my slow-cooker staples, not just in the fall, but all year round.
Crockpot Beef Stew
Ingredients:
- 1 large apple, sliced
- 1 medium carrot, sliced
- 1/5 red onion, sliced
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 beef bouillon cubes OR 1 to 2 Tbsp homemade bouillon powder*
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ tsp thyme
- 1.5 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
- 6 Tbsp almond flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Add apple slices, carrot, onion, water, wine, garlic, 1 bouillon cube, bay leaf, and thyme to a slow cooker set to high heat.
- Toss cubed beef stew meat in almond flour until lightly coated. (You could also use coconut flour.)
- Lightly sear beef in a sauté pan with coconut oil.
- Add beef to slow cooker and reduce heat to low.
- Add an additional mixture of ½ to 1 cup of water with another bouillon cube (if desired).
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook on low for approximately 4 hours.
- Enjoy this tasty crockpot beef stew!
Chef Note: For those who would prefer a much smaller “bite” in their crockpot beef stew, you can shred the carrots and apples (and even the beef). I have done this before but felt like it was a tad on the mushy side, but if you don’t mind that, please use this option.
Chef Note: For those who prefer to have a bit more of a hearty “stew” consistency, you can add cornstarch to the additional water/beef broth, which will thicken it up.
Chef Note: Because many store-bought bouillon cubes have additives I’d rather not eat (e.g., MSG and various preservatives), I often make my own. It only takes about five minutes to make just over a half cup, which can be used for several recipes. Just mix ½ cup nutritional yeast flakes, 2 Tbsp of powdered mushrooms, ½ tsp salt, 1 Tbsp onion powder, 1 ½ tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp paprika (I go with smoked), ¼ cup turmeric, and 1/8 tsp ginger. You can also add 1 tsp oregano and/or 1 tsp celery seed. Use up to 2 Tbsp for this recipe (to taste) and save the rest in a tightly sealed glass container in a cool, dark place.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
Yields 4 servings
- Calories: 461.5
- Fat: 29.5 g
- Carbs: 14.6 g
- Fiber: 3.3 g
- Protein: 27 g
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