Lunch: Spiced Beef and Butternut Squash Stew

Recipe by Woman's Day Kitchen Hearty flavor-packed chunks of beef and chickpeas make this dish a protein powerhouse.

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Cinnamon

Health and fertility benefits of Spiced Beef and Butternut Squash Stew

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060).

Ingredients

1 can tomato sauce
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
kosher salt
Pepper
1 large onion
2 lb. beef chuck
2 tsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 medium butternut squash
1 c. couscous
1 can chickpeas
1/2 c. roughly chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, whisk together the tomato sauce, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, 1/2 cup water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; stir in the onion.
Season the beef with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper, then sprinkle with the flour. Add the beef to the slow cooker and toss to coat.
Scatter the butternut squash over the top and cook, covered, until the beef is tender, 7 to 8 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high.
Ten minutes before serving, prepare the couscous according to package directions. Gently fold the chickpeas into the stew and cook, covered, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Serve the stew over the couscous and sprinkle with the cilantro.

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