Beef & Butternut Squash Stew

This beef and butternut squash stew is a fantastic tomato based dish.

Packed with veg, but low on carbs, this stew is ideal as a warming dinner or even better the day after as a filling lunch. 

Great served on it's own or with some crusty bread, you could also serve the stew with some Mashed Potato to make it go a bit further.
The following recipe gives two generous portions if served alone, or four if served with Mashed Potato.

Ingredients

• 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

• 2 teaspoons of tomato puree

• A pint and a half of boiling water

• 2 sweeteners

• 2 beef stock cubes, crumbled

• 1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled

• 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning

• 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons of chopped parsley. Fresh or dried would both work

• a dash of worcestershire sauce

• 4 sprays of Fry Light One Cal Spray Oil

• 400g beef. Stewing beef is best. Trimmed of all visible fat and cubed

• 150g mushrooms. Washed/wiped and quartered

• 400g butternut squash. Washed, peeled and roughly chopped into cubes
• 200g carrots. Washed, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 sticks celery. Washed, topped, tailed and roughly chopped

• 5g / 1 teaspoon of low fat butter spread

• 1 medium onion. (Red or white). Peeled and finely sliced

• 2 cloves of garlic. Peeled and finely chopped

• Salt to taste

• A good twist of black pepper

• fresh or dried parsley for garnish

Method

1. Add the tinned chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, stock cubes, boiling water and sweeteners to a large pot. Turn the heat to a high heat and bring the pot to a boil. Once it’s boiled, reduce the heat to medium and add the Italian herbs, thyme, parsley and worcestershire sauce and stir in.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan on a high heat and add 2 sprays of oil. Add half the beef and fry for 3-5 minutes until browned. Transfer the beef to the simmering sauce.
3. Then, add the second 2 sprays of oil and fry the rest of the beef until browned. Again, transfer to the sauce when browned.
4. Reduce the heat under the pan to medium and add the mushrooms and fry for 5 minutes until browned. The mushrooms should clear any residue left by the beef. Add the mushrooms to the simmering sauce.
5. Next, add the chopped butternut squash and fry gently for 5-8 minutes until lightly browned. You should lightly season the butternut squash with salt and pepper. Transfer the squash to the tomato sauce.
6. Next, add the chopped carrots and fry gently for 5-8 minutes until lightly browned. You should lightly season the carrots with salt and pepper. Transfer the carrots to the tomato sauce.
7. Next, add the chopped celery to the pan and fry gently for 3-5 minutes until lightly browned. You can add a small splash of olive oil to the pan if the celery doesn't seem to be doing much. You should lightly with salt and pepper. Transfer to the tomato sauce.
8. Finally, add the butter spread to the pan and, when bubbling, add the onions. Stir gently for 3-5 minutes, until lightly coloured. Then add the garlic and continue to fry for a further minute. Add the onion and garlic mixture to the tomato sauce also. You can add a splash of boiling water to dissolve any residue left in the pan. Add this to the tomato sauce also.
9. Stir the tomato sauce gently to make sure all the additional ingredients are combined. Bring the pot back to the boil and let it bubble for a minute or so.
10. Reduce the heat to low/medium and partially cover the pot with a lid and leave to simmer for approximately 1 and half hours. Stir the pot every 30 minutes or so to ensure the sauce is not sticking to the bottom of the pot. You can add another splash of boiling water if the stew is looking a little dry.
11. Check the seasoning and add some salt and pepper as needed. 
12. Divide into two portions and serve garnished with the parsley.