Healthy Autumn Stew Recipes: Slow Cooker Recipe for a Nutritious Fall Stew

Autumn stew-healthy and nutritious, loaded with onions, carrots, celery and potatoes-is just the ticket when the weather turns to fall. Sunny days that quickly turn to cooler nights leave a person longing for comfort foods, such as a thick autumn stew and a loaf of crusty French bread. Face it; nothing warms the heart and soul like a steaming bowl of chunky beef stew.

Because stew meat is a less-tender cut of beef, I always cook this fall stew in a slow cooker. It's perfect for game day or even for a tailgate picnic ... assuming you have a hookup for electricity.

If you're looking for something that cooks itself while you're at work, this fall stew recipe is great. You'll come home from a hard day at the office to an aroma that will make everyone in the family think you've been there all day, cooking away.

Lastly, this is a great stew recipe to use if you attend Sunday afternoon worship services. Get the stew going in the slow cooker in the morning and when you come home from church, you'll have a tasty, nutritious autumn stew waiting for you.

Cindy Lynn's Autumn Stew

Ingredients and instructions:

1-2 lbs. beef stew meat
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 c. flour
1 tsp garlic powder
Dash of nutmeg
Dash of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Zip plastic bag
---
1 small bag mini carrots (split carrots in half lengthwise)
6 small potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix (dry)
1-2 c. water (or more, depending on how thick you like your sauce)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can golden mushroom soup

Place flour, garlic powder, nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper in a zip plastic bag. Mix well. Add pieces of stew meat and shake to coat evenly. Carefully drop meat pieces into hot olive oil in a frying pan (being careful the oil doesn't spatter) and cook until browned.

Spray or rub the inside of the slow cooker with oil. Add meat to bottom of cooker.

Layer vegetables on top of meat. Combine Lipton Onion soup mix with water, along with contents of both cans of soup in the frying pan in which you cooked the meat. Scrape leavings and stir until soups are combined. Pour over meat and vegetables. Cover and cook on low 8-9 hours, or until meat is tender. Serve with a loaf of French bread, and apple or orange slices as a side dish. Serves 6-8 hungry people.

Sources: Personal experience