Beef barley (or quinoa) stew

1 tsp oil
1-1/2 lbs lean beef round stew meat
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, chopped
8 cups water
1 - 2 tsp kosher salt, to taste
2 bay leaves
1 cup dry barley or Quinoa
fresh ground black pepper

I have also done this in the Crockpot with excellent results. Brown/braise meat in skillet for best flavor. Then place all ingredients, except quinoa, in crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Add Quinoa about 1 hour before turning Crockpot off.

Heat a large heavy pot or dutch oven on medium heat. Add oil and beef, season with a little salt and brown meat a few minutes.
When meat is browned, add carrots, onion, celery and garlic to the pot and give it a good stir.
Add water, salt and bay leaves and bring to a boil.
When boiling, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer covered over low heat until the meat is soft, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
Add the barley (or Quinoa), adjust the salt if needed and add fresh ground pepper. Simmer an additional 30-35, remove bay leaves and serve.

Serving Size: Makes about 10- 1 cup servings

Number of Servings: 10

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user BRITTLBRAN.