Today was one of those days when I was super hungry!
So I ate an apple eating almond butter for a snack
Which barely held me over till 6PM dinner! Maybe it was that rockin’ Pump class that spiked my hunger.
Karen joined us for a crockpot beef stew
So did Grover and The Tig!
Funny story: I left Karen a mini chalkboard with a message and this empty fruity jam jar of chalk to write us a message back. She wrote me this email:
Thanks for the note! I didn’t know if I was supposed to eat the things that look like cigarettes. Yes????
[Are you sensing how funny Karen is over email!?]
She thought she was supposed to EAT it because it said fruit on it! She thought it was some super food fruit compacted into a log!!
So back to the beef stew
Simple Shroom Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 1 pound grass-fed local beef chunks
- 2.5 pints of sliced mushrooms
- 2 carrots
- 4 celeries
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 quart of water
- 1.5 cups frozen peas
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Brown beef. Set aside. Add mushrooms, carrots and celery and cook until tender. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Put mixture into crockpot and cover with water, paprika, peas and salt and pepper. Set to high for 1 hour and low to 2 hours (since everything should already be cooked your just looking for simmer.)
It was delicious – especially the shrooms!!
I had to go back for seconds on broth and veggies because I was still hungry!
Honey whole wheat on the side!
After dinner – it was SO warm out (!) – we went for a neighborhood walk. But got caught in a THUNDERSTRUCK storm!! We just barely made it home.
Luckily, ice cream had been warming on the counter and we all enjoyed some peanut butter Haagen Dazs for dessert – with a cookie on top.
Tiny bowl, tiny spoon, tiny cookie!
Few more things to do and then I’m going to read in bed. I am STILL reading The Thornbirds. I have been such a bad reader these past few months. I can’t get back in a groove because life has been so busy I feel like I’m working until 11PM every night!
Reading is important.
Allie says
I always have those days where I am EXTRA hungry haha, the shroom beef stew sounds amazing.. I love the texture that mushrooms give to soup! You are super lucky you got to eat dinner outside!!!
JenATX says
can you image if Karen had eaten the chalk?!! how funny would THAT be?!
Kay @skinnybound says
I have got to get myself some smoked paprika. It just sounds like it adds instant awesome to recipes.
I love your cute little spoon — and good call on “warming” the ice cream!
Paula says
I love that soup bowl. You have some of the most beautiful dishes I have ever seen. Having nice dishes really make dining special.
Stephanie @ Walking my Talk says
Haha! Love it! When I first looked at the pictures (I’m like a little kid…I always look at the pictures before reading the words), I was thinking “huh. I wonder why she’s posting a picture of a jar full of cigarettes”.
That kitty-cat is adorable.
Amy at TheSceneFromMe says
Gotta love days that you can sit OUTSIDE to enjoy dinner! I even had my windows open in the house today.
Love your dessert spoon, it looks like my everyday silverware.
kaila @ healthy helper! says
that is so funny about the chalk hahaha! superfoods come in all sorts of packages and funny shapes now so i’m not surprised she mistook them 😉 hey, it made for a good story right?!?
Lauren says
Its been one of those days for me too. I blame woman hormones.
Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) says
I love the shroom stew! Just yesterday I posted about shrooms! And in 2 years of posting, I have never done that! I guess we both had shrooms on the brain. Did you know they are super high in iron and fiber? You probably did b/c you’re an R.D. But to me, it was news 🙂
Anyway LOVE the bowl. The rustic nature PERFECTLY showcases the stew. Lovely, Kath!
Jennifer says
I love how much you love your mother-in-law!!! I adore mine as well…we are lucky girls.
Holly @ Couch Potato Athlete says
So did Karen eat some chalk? That is hilarious!
And I seem to be way hungrier on the days I exercise hard — my body just screams for calories!
Tessa @ Amazing Asset says
Ahh I have had an insatiable day as well! All you can do is give into the cravings…excuse me while I go have a bit of mouse tracks ice cream 🙂
J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) says
LOL! Karen is hilarious!!! I have those chalk glasses, so its even funnier to me. 😆
The stew looks delish, but ice cream looks better. 😉
Lea @ Healthy Coconut says
I notice that I eat more on days I take Body Pump classes. I do crave more protein on those days too.
Tara says
Um, my snarky ass self LOVES The Thorn Birds. For realz. The miniseries with Richard Chamberlain from like 1983 is cheesetastic. I own it and watch it whenever I’m home sick:-)
Allie (Live Laugh Eat) says
Love the clay bowl! Thank goodness Karen didn’t eat that chalk….eeek
Emma (Namaste Everyday) says
I agree that reading is important, that’s why I finally got my library card for my new city! I’m finally getting around to reading the other boleyn girl. it’s fabulous!
chelsey @ clean eating chelsey says
Reading IS important! I feel like I go through phases where I don’t want to read and then when I just can’t put books down!
Valerie @ City|Life|Eats says
Karen is hilarious 🙂 I love it when you mention her – I know she is undergoing treatment right now, so it is nice to see her sense of humor amid all that.
Sana says
I just adore your MIL! She seems so fun!
Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat says
Karen makes me laugh! Loved the nickname Tig as well. 🙂 Your stew sounds amazing… and that bread… oh my! Have a great night Kath, and I hope you manage to get some reading in!
Cindy says
Karen is too cute! She looks great!
Maryea @ Happy Healthy Mama says
Oh my goodness I am still laughing that Karen thought she was supposed to eat the chalk! Too funny!! 🙂
Estela @ Weekly Bite says
I’ve been fighting a pregnancy ice cream craving all day and your little bowl of dessert just sealed the deal. 🙂
Mary @ Bites and Bliss says
I had a cookie and chocolate ice cream for a snack today, too! Yummm.
Jil @ Big City, Lil' Kitchen says
Aww, love that Karen has such a good sense of humor! and that stew sounds delicious.
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is says
That peanut butter Haagen Dais is some of my favorite! So good.
Emily says
That beef stew looks awesome! I am not a huge beef eater but my dad has some venison here and I am thinking I may make venison stew for the family, thanks Kath!
dee says
Lol! Karen is a riot! I love it!
Mmm… all the food in this post looks so good. I can’t pick anything to focus on!
Abby says
My grandma has those same bowls that you used for your ice cream! I’m so jealous of your dessert! Haha…oh how I wish Easter would arrive already so I can eat dessert again! 😛
Eileen says
Ha ha, Karen is awesome. Who knows, maybe she thought her RD-daughter-in-law had concocted something brand new???
Nice dinner!
Christine @ Bookishly Boisterous says
I made soup in the crock pot tonight too- I’m thinking for the last time until the fall, though, since the CP is shelved when the 100 degree heat rolls in soon!
Meg says
Mmmm crockpot meals are always the best. I can only imagine how amazing they are from the KERF kitchen 😀
Blessings to Karen!!!
Meg says
My mom named me Meg after “Meggie” in The Thornbirds…her favorite book! I always loved that. 🙂
Wendy says
I named my son Dane after the character in the book! It’s one of my favorites. 🙂
Hilary says
Wow…that whole supper looks SO GOOD….love the ‘shrooms….and pb and chocolate? Yes please!
Baking 'n' Books says
Reading is important 🙂 I love that.
Ugh – I can’t see any of the pics – it takes too long to long on my computer I guess?
You warm up your ice cream?! So it’s melty?!
Baking 'n' Books says
Just loaded 🙂 Bread looks fabulous….need some ‘buttah though! …Or ice cream.
Jen H says
Karen is too funny!
That stew looks amazing…how many people does that recipe serve (approx)?
KathEats says
It made about 4 big bowls. You could get 6 small
Natalia - a side of simple says
Woohoo, it’s almost official porch time! Glad to see I’m not the only one who goes through random “hunger” phases 🙂
staceyhealthylife says
What a great simple stew. I can see why Karen would think the chalk may be food. The jars kinda deceiving.
Jenn@slim-shoppin says
Your beef stew looks great. I make a similar stew except for the broth I pour in 3 cans of V8 juice (like the can of a soda size). It makes the broth so good.
I wish it was warm in Chicago – I can’t wait for spring to get here
Heather (Heather's Dish) says
stew and toasted bread are seriously a fabulous combination…winner all the way for me!
Alaina says
Hmm..I love beef stew! My mom would make the best, with carrots, onions, potatoes, celery, all the good stuff. 🙂
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope says
That’s hilarious about the chalk! And what a great meal for a hungry day… stews always seem to fill me up.
Allie @ Healthy Balance, Healthy Life says
I’m pretty jealous of the weather down there! It snowed all day today in Vermont.
Spring will come soon (siigh)
Anne @ Baking Me says
The weather looks so nice there and that stew sounds great! What a fun evening 🙂
Maria says
The beef stew sounds really good! I posted a recipe on my blog for Guinness Beef Stew which was pretty amazing! I found it on cooking light.com. I just finished reading Water for Elephants. It took me a while to read even though it was a really great book! I can’t wait for the movie to come out.
Amelia says
I notice on the days that I got to Body Pump that I am extra hungry too! Even with eating a well balanced diet/ fueling before hand I still notice it. I guess it goes to show that we should all pay attention to our natural hunger/ thirst cues instead of set meals.
I love all your little dishes…and spoons! 🙂
Ash @ Good Taste. Healthy Me says
Soup and bread is the perfect combo!! I was craving soup tonight too and made a tasty concoction. I do love me some beef stew though.
Stacey (The Home-Cooked Vegan) says
Yes, reading is important! Hope you find some time to do so 🙂
LOL, I’m glad she didn’t take a bite of the wondrous, amazing fruit-filled logs 😉 Hahahaha
Your beef stew looks yummy! Broth + Bread = Heaven.
emily says
hi kath! i’ve been reading your blog for a while now and comment occasionally but mostly keep quiet. i love your story and your adventures and i enjoy your attitude toward life. this might be the most random comment you could possibly get on this nice post about your dinner, but i just wanted to say i’ve truly been inspired by matt’s, and now your, bakery journey. i’m a recent college grad with a “real job” that is just miserable (and not just in a “i don’t enjoy my day-to-day work” way) and just applied to and was offered a full-time position at a bakery!! it’s exactly what i want to do but i’ve been conflicted about the idea of stepping outside the box. it dawned on me tonight as i was reading this post that this is exactly what matt did a few years ago, and now look where y’all are!! i remember reading a post that matt wrote about his journey with great harvest and how it’s taken him so far (can’t find that post now?!) and it gave me the little push i need to really embrace this opportunity. thank you for being so honest in sharing your life and please pass on my thanks to matt for his story!!
KathEats says
Congrats Emily!! Hope you love the bakery 🙂
Emily @ One Sweet Vegan says
The past few nights I’ve been reading The Thorn Birds. I started it a while back, but it took 100+ pages before I actually wanted to read it. Now I’m feeling a lull again. We have a thunderstorm rolling through our town (not so common where we live in CA) and I love listening to the thunder and rain while I read.
Julie @ Lettuce Choose Healthy says
i love how to stuff the peanut butter in the bite of an apple .. so clever!
Jen says
Karen is looking fantastic! When my dad first had cancer (he lost his 2nd battle 2 years ago), his doctor told him that beating it was all in your attitude. Dad kept a positive outlook, was 100% confidant that he’d beat it, and he kept the beast at bay for 20 years. Karen looks like the type to face this challenge with a similar attitude, and it’s great that she has you and Matt in her corner to back her up. Can’t wait for the day that you report that she’s all better and ready for the next part of her journey!
Ashley says
The first stew photo is LOVELY. The bowl color compliments it perfectly. Gimme some of those shrooms!
Ashley @ Feeding Ashley says
Karen’s hilarious. That email brightened my day.
missy says
Karen stories make me smile.
You know, my 8th grade science teacher ate chalk – he said it was for calcium?!
KathEats says
Interesting!!!!!!
Justeen @ Blissful Baking says
I really like your ice cream spoon!
Ellie@fitforthesoul says
Ahhh i love stew and shrooms! 😀 great combo Kath! have fun reading~I’m so guilty of reading like, 4 books all at once and not able to focus on just one.
Hannah says
Oh gosh, your beef stew bowl is fantastic! You are the crockery queen!
lynn @ the actor's diet says
beef stew sounds so good! when i was a kid i was obsessed with a boy named stew and ate it all the time. i haven’t in over two decades? i guess i was traumatized.
Mama Pea says
That wacky Karen. 🙂
How’d you know we were frozen today? We had snow. In Arizona! Go figure.
Marina says
The ice-cream spoon looks beautiful 🙂
Thanks for the stew recipe, sounds delicious
Donna says
I’ve been reading more myself. I love to read but sometimes I let other things get in the way of reading. I read “Thorn Birds” when I was in High School. I liked it. A while back I thought about reading it again but I didn’t. And yes I agree that reading is important. I need to get on the computer less and read more.
Jumanah @ Healthy Living in the Middle East says
I’ve been looking for a crockpot dish to make for one of our meals this week and I think I found it- that stew looks delicious! I love mushrooms!
Laura says
The stew looks great! I was actually trying to find a recipe today and wondering if I could adapt them to leave out the onions (I’m allergic) without compromising the taste too much, but it sounds like I could!
The Thorn Birds is actually next on my reading list. I’m reading Laurie King’s Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes mysteries at the moment and loving them.
KathEats says
Onions can be left out of everything with a fine result 🙂
Kayla @ Fitter Than Choc says
I love how your recipes are always so healthy. This stew looks totally gorgeous. I wish I could pick on the mushrooms. I am certainly saving this:)
Sarah (Running To Slow Things Down) says
I’ve been a “bad reader” too! Life gets busy. I’m smack dab in the middle of “American Wife” and it’s good, but slow paced, so I’m having some difficulties with making my way through. 😉
The stew looks fabulous! So chunky. 😀
megan @ blackberries for jam says
I can totally relate to those ravenous hunger days. Always best to just go with it! And if you’re looking for a book that will have you completely hooked, go get “The Adults” by Alison Espach. I am obsessed.
Anne @ butter and bear says
Your MIL is too funny! And, I agree reading is important. I always reserve time before bed to read, it’s my “ME” time.
Amy says
I love this whole post. Karen is hilarious!
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin says
Strength training always makes me super hungry too!
Karen sounds like such a hoot. 😀
Rofomom @REAL life in Rofo says
The story about the chalk was too funny! Thanks for the laugh. I am TRYING to like mushrooms, I am. . . thanks for the motivation. They look good in the stew 🙂
Taylor @ Delish World says
The beef stew looks awesome! I love the bowl you used for your meal. It reminds me of a cow!
Laura says
That’s pretty funny, the chalk doesn’t really look like chalk when in that jar, does it?
Beef stew sounds wonderful right now. It’s one of my favorite comfort foods.
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
So glad Karen is doing great from her smile 🙂 *hugs
Allison @ Happy Tales says
OMG sooooo jealous of your “thunderstruck” storm!!! I WANT ONE! Send them South?!
Love Karen, she seems so precious.
Oh, and I loveeee honey whole wheat bread! Currently grubbing on some of that at home 🙂