Stews: Balanced Nutrition in a Single Pot

When you are an athlete in training, have a full time job, a family, and all the other responsibilities that go along with “real life,” a hearty, nutritious meal all in one pot goes a long way.  The answer? Soups and stews– they can be a great way to provide all the nutrition you need in a single dish.  With just a little prep work, the ingredients can then be thrown into a large pot, the heat turned to low, and within a couple hours (or less) you have an entire meal.  Even better, if you make a stew on Sunday night, double or triple the recipe and you have half your meals taken care of for that week.

This particular stew is a play on the Brazilian Feijoada, a hearty black bean stew with multiple meats and tons of flavor.  If you do not eat meat, make it without and you will be just as happy. One truth I like to point out is that not all meats are created equal.  Red meat does not necessarily mean “bad” and chicken or fish does not necessarily mean “good.”  What it comes down to more than anything is the cut of the meat and how it is prepared.

This stew calls for “lean stew beef,” which as the name implies, is quite lean.  Some cooks see lean meat like stew beef as undesirable due to its lower fat content, which can leave it tough and absent of flavor if it is not properly cooked.  But in a stew this is of no concern as the slow cooking process turns the lean beef into tender chunks, and allows all the flavors to mature and really come together.

Chorizo, on the other hand, is not lean.  But in this case it is used as a supporting flavor rather than a main ingredient.  Meats like this are a great way to add a little extra something to a dish since a little goes a long way, and for anyone that cares about what they eat, should probably not be the central focus all that often.  And if it is of concern to you, leave it out.  The stew will still taste great.

Black beans, the main ingredient of this soup, are a bit of an athletic superfood.  They are an excellent source of complex carbohydrate, fiber, and vegetarian protein, and contain high levels of iron and folate, two essential micronutrients for the training athlete.  Folate, a B-vitamin, aids in energy production, and deficiencies in iron can lead to feelings of fatigue (as if you weren’t tired enough from your morning workout).  I like to balance out the carbohydrate profile by serving this stew with a side of rice, and whether it be brown or white is up to you.

Feijoada

3 15oz cans black beans, drained
1 lb extra lean stew beef, trimmed and cut into ¾ inch cubes
½ lb lean ham steak, cubed ½ inch
¼ lb pork chorizo (or SoyRizo), casing removed
3 cups low sodium beef stock
1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup sliced carrots (about 2 medium)
1 T chili powder
1 ½ t cumin
1 t oregano
¼ t nutmeg
¼ t allspice
2 bay leaves
¼ cup fresh cilantro

To start

In a large Dutch oven, brown the chorizo over medium high heat, breaking apart with a wooden spoon.  Once browned, remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel, reserving drippings.  Add the cubed beef to brown and season with salt and pepper, stirring occasionally.  Once browned, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Add the diced onion and garlic and cook until onions are soft, about five minutes.  Add the beans, stock, chili powder, cumin, oregano, nutmeg, allspice, and bay leaves. Add the beef, chorizo, and ham.  Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for about two hours, until beef is very soft.  Top with fresh cilantro.

If you are someone that cannot eat a meal without a dominant vegetable presence, try pairing the stew with this recipe of sautéed kale with carrots and raisins.  It has a savory-sweetness with just enough spice to go great with the stew.  Keep in mind that when making a stew, and cooking in general, there are no rules.  Slow cooked meals are a great way to satisfy both nutrition and hunger, especially during the winter months, so throw in what you’ve got or what you need, and get to cookin’.

Thanks again to the team at CulinaryCompetitor for another great meal idea for health conscious athletes.