Dutch Oven Beef Stew

{photo taken before placing in oven to bake}

1 T olive oil
2 lbs. lean stew meat
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 (14.5 oz.) beef broth
2 tsp. dried thyme
1-2 bay leaves
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
4 stalks celery, chopped
8 oz. pearl onions, peeled*

*Suzanne Somers recommends pouring boiling water over the onions, letting them sit for 60 seconds, and the skins will pop right off.

Preheat oven to 300-325 degrees. Heat olive oil in dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season beef with salt pepper (remember to dab it dry like Julia Child recommended) and brown beef in small batches. Add remaining ingredients. Cover with dutch oven lid and bake for 3 hours.

This is from Suzanne Somers' Fast and Easy cookbook and is a Level One Protein/Fats meal. This stew does not have traditional stew veggies (since you don't eat protein/fat with carbs on the plan), but I PROMISE you will not miss them!! Scott ate this up and continued to eat leftovers gladly over the next few days. I cooked some petite green peas with this and it was perfect.

Serves 6-8