Beef and Sweet Potato Stew
1 tbsp olive oil
nonstick cooking spray
1 1/2 lbs lean beef stew meat (chuck or round)
1 onion diced
2 carrots sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
2 celery stalks diced
2 1/2 cups beef broth (fat free, reduced sodium)
1/2 cup prunes diced
1 cup hot water
2 sweet potatoes peeled and diced into 1 inch chunks
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
Add olive oil and generous amount of cooking spray to a large soup pot over high heat. In batches, brown beef on all sides. Do not overcrowd the pan with beef or it will not brown.
Remove the beef from the pan and set aside. Add onions, carrots and celery to the pan and sauté for 4-5 minutes.
Add the beef broth and scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add beef and simmer for 1 hour.
While the beef is simmering, soak the prunes in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain the prunes, saving the water and set aside.
After the beef has simmered for 1 hour, add the drained prunes, sweet potatoes, 1/2 cup of the prune water, cinnamon, ground black pepper and salt (optional). Bring to a simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.