🍲 Hearty Beef Stew 🥕

A warm hug in a bowl, perfect for family dinners or fueling up after a busy day!

🍽️ Ingredients 🍽️
- 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
- 4 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

🧑‍🍳 Directions 🧑‍🍳
1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef cubes and brown on all sides. Remove the beef and set aside.
2. In the same pot, add the onion and garlic, and sauté until the onion is translucent.
3. Return the beef to the pot. Stir in the tomato paste, thyme, salt, and pepper.
4. Add the beef broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
5. Add the carrots and potatoes to the pot. Cover and simmer for another hour or until the vegetables and beef are tender.
6. Mix the flour with a little water to make a smooth paste. Stir this into the stew to thicken the sauce. Add the frozen peas and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

🍎 Nutritional Information 🍎
- Calories: 350 per serving
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Protein: 25g
- Fat: 15g
- Sodium: 870mg
- Fiber: 5g

💡 Tips and Tricks 💡
- For a richer flavor, sear the beef in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot.
- You can substitute sweet potatoes for a different twist on this classic recipe.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld together.

⏳ Preparation time ⏳
Preparation time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 2 hours 20 minutes | Serving: 6