Slow Cooker Hoisin Beef Stew

Dinner tonight. I'm serving it with brown rice. I just snuck a taste while the rice is finishing up...and it is TASTY!

This was a big hit with the family. The mister tried brown rice for the first time EVER. Can you believe that? He enjoyed it. YES! My little guy is quite the carnivore and gobbled up the beef. The veggies not so much, of course the mister didn't actually eat them either (not that this surprises me AT ALL). My older guy was a little resistant but did eat his meat and took a 'no thank you'* bite of the brown rice.

If you've never heard of a 'no thank you bite'* and you're the parent or spouse of a picky or resistant eater, your life is about to change. No, really. A SpEd teacher of Hadley's shared this gem with me years ago and I seriously use it EVERY day. Your picky eater must be given the choice to not eat what is given them at a meal or snack time, They must first, however, take a bite before they an say "No thank you." to the rest of their serving. How you handle choices after that is up to you. In our house it depends on the meal or snack time and what the rest of the day has looked like. Most of the day a piece of fruit is offered as an alternative. Meal times are becoming less and less flexible. I used to allow a sandwich after a no thank you bite. Depending on the dish being served and what they've eaten during the day most times it's just a choice to eat it or not. Fruits and veggies are always available if they choose them. The idea is to take the battle out of it and make it a choice. This makes life easier for you AND teaches your children to make wise food and nutritional choices.

We have a long road ahead of us where all of this is concerned but, I'm committed to keep on it. My kids are worth it to me. My husband is worth it to me. Heck, even I'm worth it to me. *wink*

Compliments of WholeFoods.com

Slow Cooker Hoisin Beef Stew

Serves 4
This warm and hearty stew is an aromatic welcome after a long day. Serve over rice with sautéed snow peas or steamed edamame. Even if you don't have time to marinate the ingredients overnight, keep in mind that the stew will still be delicious. Ingredients with an asterisk (*) are available in the Whole Foods Market Family of Brands.

Ingredients
1/2 cup beef broth*
1 (10-ounce) bottle hoisin sauce*
1 teaspoon hot sauce*
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 (1-inch) piece peeled ginger, grated
1 1/2 pounds cubed round or chuck stew beef
2 yellow onions, roughly chopped
1 cup baby carrots
2 ribs celery, roughly chopped

Method
Whisk together broth, hoisin, hot sauce, garlic and ginger in a wide, shallow dish or bowl. Add beef, onions, carrots and celery and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Transfer meat mixture to a slow cooker, cover and cook on a low setting until beef is very tender, 6 to 8 hours. Alternately, cook on a high setting for about 3 hours. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Nutrition
Per serving (about 13oz/379g-wt.): 430 calories (90 from fat), 10g total fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 110mg cholesterol, 1300mg sodium, 24g total carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 14g sugar), 55g protein
Tags: Budget, Make Ahead, One Pot Meals, Family Friendly, Dairy Free
Note: We've provided special diet and nutritional information for educational purposes. But remember — we're cooks, not doctors! You should follow the advice of your health-care provider. And since product formulations change, check product labels for the most recent ingredient information. See our Terms of Service.