Beef Stew with Sweet Potatoes and Orange

With a score of 54 on the GI, sweet potatoes rank surprisingly low. Adding orange to this hearty stew further reduces its overall rating.

2 lbs (1 kg) organic stewing beef
1 Tbsp (15 mL) sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp (5 mL) each dried oregano and thyme
1/2 tsp (2 mL) sea salt
2 tsp (10 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
2 cups (500 mL) organic beef broth
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 orange

Place beef in bowl and coat with dried spices and salt.

Heat oil in Dutch oven; add garlic, onion, and celery. Cook over medium heat until softened.

Stir in beef and brown. Add half the stock, cover and let simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Cut potatoes into big chunks. Using a vegetable peeler, skin 3 thick strips of peel from orange. Cut remaining peel from orange and discard. Slice orange cross-wise into thick pieces, then cut into quarters.

When beef has simmered for 2 hours, stir in sweet potatoes, orange peel, and remaining broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until meat and potatoes are tender, about 30 to 45 more minutes. Stir in orange pieces. Serves 6.

Each serving contains:
414 calories; 55 g protein; 12 g total fat (0 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 21 g carbohydrates;3 g fibre; 558 mg sodium

source: "Carb Balancing Act", alive #325, November 2009