Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a healthier version of a classic Irish dish. Enjoy the delicious aroma that fills your home as your mouth-watering Irish stew cooks up a scentsational St. Paddy’s Day!

INGREDIENTS

• Cooking spray
  
  
• 1 ¼ pounds lean beef stew meat; trim fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
  
  
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  
  
• 5 cups onions, chopped (about 3 onions)
  
  
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  
  
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  
  
• 1 container (24 ounces) Swanson’s reduced-sodium beef stock or broth (3 cups)
  
  
• 1 bottle (12 ounces) lite beer
  
  
• 2 bay leaves
  
  
• ½ teaspoon salt
  
  
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  
  
• 2 cups (about 2 medium) baking potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks
  
  
• 2 cups (about 2 medium) sweet potatoes (yams), peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks
  
  
• 1 ½ cups carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch slices
  
  
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  
  
• A little water

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Coat a large nonstick pan, pot or Dutch oven with cooking spray. Add beef cubes to pan and cook for 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Turn cubes to brown on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, remove beef from pan.

2. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in same pan. Add onions and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until onions are soft, about 2 more minutes. Stir often.

3. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring often.

4. Stir in beef stock and beer, scraping down the sides to loosen the browned bits.

5. Add browned beef and stir in bay leaves, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Stir occasionally.

6. Add potatoes and sweet potatoes and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer, cover and cook for an additional 40 minutes.

7. Stir in carrots, cover and simmer for 30 more minutes.

8. In a small bowl, add cornstarch and a little water. Using a whisk or fork, slowly mix to dissolve. Add dissolved cornstarch to stew and mix well. Cook uncovered over medium-high heat until stew is thickened, about 10 minutes.

9. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Makes 6 servings (about 1 ½ cups each).

Nutrition Facts (per serving):
Calories: 316; Carbs: 41g; Protein: 24g; Fat: 5g

Recipe Card for Skinny Irish Pub Beef Stew

Source: SkinnyKitchen with Nancy Fox