Recipe: Lean and Savory Sauced Pot Roast (crock pot)

LEAN AND SAVORY SAUCED POT ROAST

1 large onion, coarsely chopped
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1⁄4-inch rounds (or use a 1-pound bag of mini-baby carrots to save time)
2 stalks celery, sliced
3⁄4 pound baby new potatoes, halved or quartered if large, unpeeled
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes in sauce, undrained
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Sucanat, sugar, or Xylitol
1⁄2 teaspoon each salt and fresh-ground black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cumin
1⁄4 teaspoon turmeric
1⁄8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Pinch of allspice
1 (2 to 2 1⁄2 pound) boneless bottom round roast

Scatter the onion evenly in the bottom of a large slow cooker. Add the carrots, celery, and potatoes.

In a medium bowl, mix together the tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, garlic, mustard, Sucanat, salt, pepper, rosemary, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, and allspice until well combined.

Place the roast over the vegetables and carefully pour the tomato sauce over all.

Cover crock pot and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or until the meat is tender and cooked through.

Makes 6 to 7 servings

Per serving: 382.6 calories; 14.7 g fat (34% calories from fat); 36.4 g protein; 24.5 g carbohydrate; 5.3 g dietary fiber; 108.6 mg cholesterol; 344.4 mg sodium

RECIPE NOTES:

From Dr. Jonny: "As a kid, I really liked pot roast even though I had no idea what it actually was. Most pot roast recipes call for "beef chuck," which is basically mystery meat - not to mention extremely fatty. A simple upgrade makes this comfort food healthier: Just choose bottom round, a leaner cut of meat that will give you all the flavor of the original with fewer calories. It'll still cook up nice and tender because Chef Jeannette prepares it in a slow cooker and smothers it in a juicy, flavorful tomato sauce, eliminating the need for high-cal gravy. Leaving the skins on the potatoes adds fiber and vitamins, and using a slow cooker saves calories because you don't need extra "browning" fat. Note: If you really want to make this a healthy dish, choose grassfed beef!"

From Chef Jeannette: "Even Healthier - for a unique flavor twist with more fiber and vitamin A and less starch, substitute a large sweet potato or half a medium butternut squash for the white potatoes. Peel and dice into 3⁄4-inch (1.9-cm) chunks."

Adapted from source: The 150 Healthiest Comfort Foods on Earth by Jonny Bowden Ph.D. C.N.S. and Jeannette Bessinger C.H.H.C.