Provencal Beef Slow Cooker Stew POINTS® Value | 4 Servings | 6 Preparation Time | 20 min Cooking Time | 390 min Level of Difficulty | Moderate main meals | We added pureed beans to this dish. The result? A robust, hearty stew with a wonderfully thick texture. Ingredients: 1 pound lean beef round, cut into 1-inch cubes (London Broil) 1 serving cooking spray (5 one-second sprays per serving) 1 small onion(s), chopped 2 cup mushroom(s), sliced 2 medium garlic clove(s), minced 2 large carrot(s), sliced (about 1 cup) 15 oz canned pinto beans, drained and rinsed 1 1/2 cup canned beef broth 14 1/2 oz canned crushed tomatoes, (about 1 1/2 cups) 1/2 tsp dried oregano, crushed 1/4 tsp dried thyme, crushed 1/2 tsp table salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 2 Tbsp thyme, fresh, or 2 whole sprigs, for garnish (optional)

Directions: Place beef in a 5-quart slow cooker. Coat a 12-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Add onion, mushrooms and garlic. Sauté over medium-high heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add to slow cooker. Add carrots. Place half of beans in slow cooker. Place remaining beans in blender. Add 1/2 cup of broth to blender and puree. Add mixture to slow cooker. Add remaining broth, tomatoes, oregano, dried thyme, salt and pepper to slow cooker. Cover and cook on high setting of slow cooker for 6 to 7 hours. Garnish with fresh thyme. Yields about 2 cups per serving.