Savory Vegetable Beef Stew

1 lb. stew beef, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tbsp Italian dressing
2/3 cup water
1 1/4 cup low sodium beef broth
1 cube beef bouillon, crushed
1 cup tomato sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes, undrained
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground oregano
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 pound potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
4 carrots (7-1/2"), sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 medium onion, diced
4 stalks (5", leafless) celery, diced
1 cup frozen peas
1 Tbsp. plain white flour

This recipe is less salty tasting than most beef stews. If you would like a bit more saltiness, add some. Remember to adjust your sodium levels in the nutritional values, though.

1. Heat a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir beef cubes and Italian dressing until meat is evenly browned, about 5 minutes.
2. Add 2/3 cup of water, beef bouillon cube, beef broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, garlic, bay leaf, salt, oregano, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
4. Place potatoes, carrots, peppers, celery and onion into the stew; cover and simmer over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes.
5. Combine flour and 1 tablespoon of cold water in a small bowl, mixing until it is smooth. Stir flour mixture into stew, bring to a boil; cook and stir until stew is thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
6. Makes 8-1 cup servings.

Serving Size: 8-1 cup servings

Number of Servings: 8

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user DAVENOHE.