Yep, another productive Monday!!!

I am getting used to having Mondays off, but I am not getting used to having lunch at home. I get sooooo busy with whatever I am working on at home that half the time I almost forget to eat!!!

Lunch

I made a quick Morning Star Veggie Burger on a thin bun, on the side a fresh picked orange.

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With 1/2 an avocado of course!  Have you noticed I have been eating a lot of avocados? Well it’s because I have friends in high places 😉 Yep they own a ton of trees!

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Then I went grocery shopping and filled the fridge with lots of fruit and veggies 🙂

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Dinner

This morning while I was watching the Today Show I saw a clip of Elli Krieger and she was making some amazing healthy dinners! I was drooling over the Aromatic Beef Stew with Butternut Squash, so guess what I made for dinner?

Aromatic beef stew with butternut squash 🙂

**Adapted from Ellie Krieger

Ingredients:

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 pound stew beef (round or chuck), cut into chunks
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger I have GINGER!
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound peeled cubed butternut squash, cut into 1[1/2]-inch cubes (about 2[1/2] cups)
  • One 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
  • One 8-ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce didn’t have any used marinara sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth I used chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3 cups cooked whole-wheat couscous ( I cooked brown rice)
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown and fragrant, about 2 minutes
  • 4 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
  • I ADDED BLACK BEANS

Preparation:

Far from your run-of-the-mill beef stew, this one transports you to another land with a unique combination of everyday ingredients. In it tender beef is nestled with chunks of sweet butternut squash in a rich Moroccan spiced tomato sauce. That exotic inspiration continues as it is served over fluffy couscous and topped with crunchy almonds. It’s just as easy, if not easier, than the same-old stew, but so much more rewarding.

Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate, leaving the juices in the saucepan. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 additional minute. Return the beef to the pot and stir in the squash, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, cumin, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until the beef is tender, 30 to 35 minutes.

Spoon the stew over the couscous, and sprinkle each serving with almonds and parsley.

Per Serving:

Calories 480; Total Fat 13 g (Sat Fat 3 g, Mono Fat 6 g, Poly Fat 2 g); Protein 34 g; Carb 56 g; Fiber 8 g; Cholesterol 65 mg; Sodium 150 mg

Excellent source of: Copper, Fiber, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Niacin, Phosphorus, Potassium, Protein, Riboflavin, Selenium, Thiamin, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Zinc

Good source of: Calcium, Folate, Pantothenic Acid

All the goods.

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I think I need an iPad 🙂

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First time I have cooked beef stew ever!

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Gotta love the pre-diced onions from F&E 

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In goes the good stuff.

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Simmering

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Perfection!

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This came out so beautifully. I love meals that have a ton of flavor without having to add any salt 🙂

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You can really tastes all the aromatic spices and the butternut squash was cooked just the way I like it. 

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Guess who joined me for dinner?

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Coach M!!!!! This will be our only meal together as he has games & practices all week :( 

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Dinner rocked! What rocked even more is that the dishes are done…thanks Hubs!

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We are retiring to our room to work/play. We just put in The Book of Eli and it was a little to intense for me to watch before bed time, I tend to have nightmares if I watch anything that dark. So instead we are watching Law and Order Season 7 🙂

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P.S. Look what came in the mail today! Can’t wait for breakfast 🙂

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Comments

2 responses to “Aromatic”

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