Ingredients:
group #1
1 1/2 lb beef top round or sirloin, cubed
1 large onion, diced
1 shallot, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, cut into coins
2 parsnips, cut into coins
2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 3/4 cups cubed golden acorn squash
1 cayenne pepper, minced

group #2
12 oz beer (I used this)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 (loose) tablespoon whole rosemary leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon caraway seeds
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

group #3
1 1/14 cup frozen peas

Directions:
Saute the ingredients from group #1 in a bit of canola oil until the vegetables are softened and the meat is lightly browned. Add to a 4 quart slow cooker. If the meat and vegetables gave off a lot of liquid and it isn’t too oily, I add a little less than 1/4 cup of it into the slow cooker. Add the ingredients from group #2. Stir. Cover and cook for 7-8 hours. Stir in the ingredients from group #3. Cover and cook for an additional 1/2 hr. Stir and serve.

My thoughts:

I liked this stew a lot because while the beef added flavor and texture, it really wasn’t a super meaty stew, it was mostly vegetables. Plus it is super easy to make, I did all of the prep the night before and just had to brown the meat in the morning.