Recipe 61 : Moroccan Stew

1 lb. beef cubes for stew

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 white onion, diced

2 cans diced tomatoes, with juice

1 can chickpeas, drained and washed

2 1/2 cup beef broth

2 tea cumin

2 tea ground coriander

2 cinnamon sticks

5 carrots, peeled and cut chunky

1 red pepper, diced

1 bunch kale, torn in small pieces

1 bunch parsley, chopped

Add all ingredients, except kale and parsley, into the slow cooker.  Cook on LOW for 6 hours.  Add kale and parsley and cook for 20 more minutes.  Serve over rice.

Welcome back to the blog, my followers!  I have still been using my Crock Pot, however, I decided since I am no longer obligated to post every week, I am only going to post the good ones!  We are now deep into the Crock Potting season, so I thought I would post something hearty.  And since we are fresh from the holiday season, I thought I would post something HEALTHY too!  (Any Weight Watchers followers will be happy to know that a serving of this stew is only 5 points, plus 3 for the rice.)

For those of you who may prefer chicken instead of beef, subsitute chicken broth and a couple of shredded chicken breasts.  Want a complete veggie meal?  Vegetable broth and no meat will get you there.

Let's talk about the kale.  I feel this is a frequently overlooked veggie which adds a bit of a tasty bite to any dish.  If you don't agree with the taste, I imagine spinach would be a great substitute.  Or if you find you like it, substitute spinach in other recipes!  Although it looks like lettuce, it has a thicker stem.  After washing, tear the leaves off the stem and then tear them into smaller pieces.  It won't wilt as much as spinach would, so expect more of a crunch.

So there you have it!  The first recipe of the new year!  Hope you enjoy!

http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-recipes/9-healthy-crockpot-recipes-try-winter?page=6