Cranberry Barbecue Beef Oven Stew + Socca

I was so excited to drive out to the mountains for a lunch at Iron Goat Pub and Grill that I completely forgot my camera. [Makes for a great excuse to return!]

I was so excited to have the gluten free fries and chicken wings, that I forgot to sprinkle salt on top.

I was so excited to have the grass-fed bison burger with caramelized onions and chili mayo in a rice bread tortilla, that I forgot to add ketchup.

I was so excited to finish the meal off with a gluten free chocolate torte, that I forgot I had to pee before getting in the car for the 1.5 hour drive home.

My day was full of so much excitement that I slept all the way home. [Also a great tactic for when you really, really need to go! ooOOoo]

Needless to say, I had the best Valentine’s day!

Side note: My workouts have been updated – I’m now sprinting a couple of miles a week! woot!

Cranberry Barbecue Beef Oven Stew

Gluten free, Dairy free

Throw it in the oven and forget about it! This dish is full of flavor – from the deep cranberry taste, to the sweetness of yam, mixed with the satisfying taste of organic beef. Perfect for weekday family meals, served with toast, tortillas, or socca.

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 yam, unpeeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 potatoes, unpeeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes – I used white, but red would work as well
• 2 carrots, unpeeled and cut into discs
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 1 lb stewing beef – I used grass-fed and finished, free range beef

Cranberry barbecue sauce:

• 2/3 cup cranberry juice – I used 100% cranberry juice so had to add 1 tbsp sugar – demerara sugar, or sucanat would work
• 1 beef bouillon cube – I used GoBIO! Organic Beef Bouillon Cubes
• 6 oz. can of tomato paste
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp blackstrap molasses
• 1/2 tsp salt
• pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300F
2. Combine all barbecue sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium low heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine all vegetables and meat in a large bowl. Stir to combine, then drop into a 2.3L [or larger] casserole dish.
4. Pour barbecue sauce over the prepared vegetables.
5. Cook with lid on for 2.5-3hrs or until potatoes can be cut through, but still hold form. [Mine took 2hrs and 45minutes]

Nutrition stats [1/2 cup]: calories 300; fat 5.5g; saturated fat 2g; carbohydrates 35g; dietary fiber 5.5g; sugars 11g; protein 28g

Makes 5-6 servings.

Socca

Vegan, Gluten free, Dairy free

Lightly adapted from: Katlyn’s Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp filtered water
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin or thyme – I’ve tried it both ways and they’re both fantastic!
• 2 tbsp olive oil + more for brushing cast iron pan
• pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl, stir to combine, then pop a lid on a the bowl and allow to sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
2. Set oven to high broil and move oven rack to highest position in oven.
3. Oil a cast iron pan with 1 tsp olive oil and place under the broiler for 2 minutes.
4. Remove cast iron from oven and pour 1/4 of the batter into the pan.
5. Return to the oven for 3-4 minutes. [I found our socca was better at the 3 minute mark - after the first try you'll know what works best for your oven]
6. Place finished socca on cooling rack, and repeat with remaining batter.
7. Serve with hummus, stew, or dipped in cashew Caesar dressing.

Makes 4 – 7inch soccas.

What activities did you enjoy yesterday?

Tagged as: barbecue sauce, beef, casserole, cranberry, freezable, stew