I always feel better when I eat home-cooked meals and don’t rely on fast food or highly processed convenience foods. But sometimes my lack of energy and executive dysfunction make it difficult to get off my butt and into the kitchen. That’s why I’m focusing more on throw-and-go recipes like this slow cooker beef and butternut squash stew.
I originally made this recipe several years ago. It’s perfect for the fall and winter months because it is hearty and will warm you up from the inside. My original recipe called for me to cut up butternut squash, onion, and carrots. But some days I can’t even muster the energy to do that. So I’ve gone ahead and made this recipe even easier!
No, you don’t have to spend a lot of time peeling and cutting up buitternut squash (which is a pain to do). You can find pre-cut butternut squash chunks in the frozen section of most grocery stores now. And this recipe calls for baby carrots instead of having to peel and cut a carrot. You can also buy pre-minced onions in many grocery store produce sections as well. And instead of peeling and dicing a potato…buy a can of diced potatoes and drain them.
Of course, if you have the energy and wish to do the extra work, by all means go ahead! But these little swaps help you conserve some energy and still allow you to prepare a home-cooked meal!
This recipe is naturally gluten-free. You can swap arrowroot powder for the cornstarch to make it grain-free as well!
Slow Cooker Beef and Butternut Squash Stew
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Put all ingredients except cornstarch into the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 8-9 hours or high for 5-6 hours.
- Before serving, mix the cornstarch with a few tablespoons of cold water to create a slurry. Mix into the stew to thicken it.
