Mediterranean Beef Stew
adapted from Cooking Light

What you need:
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 1/2 cups halved mushrooms (about 8 ounces)
3 cups diagonally cut carrot
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onion
3 cups sliced celery
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups beef stock (or water)
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
coarsely ground black pepper
2 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained
2 bay leaves
3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, drained
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

What you do:

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef in two batches; cook for about 5 minutes, browning on all sides.
2. Remove beef from pan and place on paper towel to strain.
3. Sauté mushrooms, carrots, onions, celery, and garlic cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Return beef to pan.
4. Add beef stock, wine, herbs and tomatoes; bring to a boil.
5. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour.
6. Add olives, and cook for 30 minutes or until beef is tender.
7. Discard bay leaves. Stir in vinegar. Sprinkle with parsley.

Serve over mashed potatoes (keep the skins on the potatoes because they contain lots of important nutrients and use low fat milk and olive oil for mashing). Keep the mashed potatoes thick and chunky.

Recipe makes 6 servings