One of my friends, Neal, is a regular reader and he is quite cook! He has made some great dishes and we miss coming over to his place and trying something new out. It’s a quick and easy dinner recipe that is healthy and delicious.

He gave a recipe he created for a cooking school assignment that can cut down on “saturated fat and cholesterol, while upping the intake of vitamins and nutrients found in grains, legumes and veggies”, and still taste great.

We grabbed the ingredients this weekend and made it Saturday night. It was a fabulous success. Cooking the stew made the apartment smell absolutely wonderful and we finished the pot much sooner than we anticipated. As a side note, we had some red zinfandel with it and it was fantastic.

If you try it out please leave a comment for my friend with a review. 

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serves 8
estimated prep and cooking time 45 minutes

NOTE that you’ll need a pan that’s at least 10 inches across and 4 inches deep.  or a stew pot.  if using a stew pot, start in a pan to saute the veggies and beef.  then transfer to the pot to finish the dish!

INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon (tsp) of red pepper (I use cayenne)
1 tsp salt
3 tsp cinnamon
3 tsp cumin
3 diced garlic cloves
3 tsp cocoa powder or one ounce of Hersey’s Dark Chocolate (melted in microwave)
2 medium white onions
2 bell peppers (one green, one red)
2 pounds flank steak, cubed ( you can use any tough, marbled cut of beef you want, but I used this)
3 cups sliced mushrooms
          or
three 4oz cans of sliced mushrooms
one 14.5 oz can of Hunts Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes (with garlic)
2 cups Prego tomato sauce
one 15.5 oz can of Goya Small White Beans
one 15.5 oz can of Goya Black Beans
one 15.25oz can of Del Monte Gold and White Corn

and the secret ingredient!
one and a half cups of PEACH SALSA!

DIRECTIONS
slice all veggies and saute on Medium , EXCEPT MUSHROOMS, in olive oil until onions start to turn translucent
add all the spices and garlic ( if using melted chocolate, hold till you add the tomato products)
saute 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly to mix flavors
add beef.  saute 5 minutes or until beef begins to brown
if using a stew pot, transfer all ingredients there now.
add tomato products, salsa and mushrooms.  cook (STILL ON MEDIUM) for 10 minutes, stir occasionally
drain the beans and corn, add and stir in.  cover with lid.  cook for 15 to 20 minutes.  stir a couple times every 2 or 3 minutes
remove from heat, stir to even out sauce.  taste and adjust seasonings (you might want more salt, more cinnamon or more chocolate)

SERVING
This is the really easy part…….

On top of plain white rice.  if you want to get fancy, make some guacamole and put a dollop on top.
This goes really good with a salad of mixed greens with a lime vinagrette to help cut the density of the dish. Or just a couple shots of tequila.

Photo Credit: Allis0n J

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