Comforting Barley & Pumpkin Beef Stew

Dinner

There's nothing more comforting than a bowl of beef stew unless, of course, it's a bowl of beef stew loaded with barley. That's comfort food at its best! You can make a meal out of this dish and, thanks to the pumpkin and seasonings, its flavor is as amazing as its texture.

Average Rating: 0

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. Cook: 6 hours
YIELD: 9 servings (3-1/2 quarts).

Ingredients

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1-1/2 teaspoons pepper, divided
1-1/2 pounds beef stew meat
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet onion, finely chopped
2 cartons (32 ounces each) beef broth
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
1 cup medium pearl barley
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Minced fresh parsley, optional

Instructions

1. In a shallow dish, mix flour, cornstarch, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and toss to coat. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; brown meat in batches. Transfer meat to a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker. In the same skillet, cook and stir onion in drippings until tender, 6-8 minutes; add to slow cooker. Stir in broth, pumpkin, barley and seasonings. Cook, covered, on low until meat is tender, 6-8 hours. If desired, serve with additional red pepper flakes and parsley.

Nutrition Facts

1-1/2 cups: 211 calories, 8g fat (2g saturated fat), 35mg cholesterol, 819mg sodium, 20g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 4g fiber), 15g protein.
Diabetic Exchanges:
2 lean meat, 1 starch, 1 fat.