I had been so busy with starting this hard kombucha company that my adventures in the kitchen had dwindled to be completely honest. I felt so out of balance due to the fact that I hadn’t been cooking new recipes as much as I normally do. My meals became quick and easy yet lacked any sort of creativity. It really hit me at the end of January when I realized I hadn’t cooked anything new for nearly a month! I went on a hunt to find something delicious to put together for dinner.

I grabbed some chuck roast and called my grandma and asked her how to prepare this for dinner.

“Oh hunny, chuck roast is so tough. You will not be able to have it for dinner tonight. It’d be good for lunch tomorrow,” she told me.

Rats! Well, at least I knew my lunch would be delicious. And sure enough, it was. My grandpa talks about how my grandmother always gives away half the food she makes. I guess the tradition has been passed down because my cousin stopped by and I insisted that he go home with some stew for him and his roommate.

Serves: 4-6

Hands-on time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes

Gluten free, dairy free, soy free

Ingredients

2 ½ lb chuck roast

1 tsp sea salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb fingerling potatoes

1 lb carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 yellow onions, coarsely chopped

4 cups beef broth or beef bone broth

1 28-oz BPA-free can diced tomatoes, with juices

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tbsp paprika

¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper, optional

6 cloves garlic, peeled

2 bay leaves

chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. Sprinkle the roast with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil to medium and add the roast. Cook until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes.
2. Transfer roast to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add potatoes, carrots, onions, broth, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, paprika, cayenne (if using), garlic and bay leaf.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4½ to 5 hours. Discard bay leaves.
4. Break up the cooked roast into smaller chunks and divide the roast, veggies and liquid among bowls. Top with fresh parsley.
5. Enjoy!