I know that Super Bowl Sunday is usually a day for chili, but think about switching it up with an equally filling and tasty beef stew — winter is the time for hearty beef stew, and weekends are the best time to make a slow cooking stew. Not only does stew make your house smell great, but it's a crowd pleaser and you can freeze the leftovers.

This beef stew is tasty and when shopping for stew meat always go for a cut that is low in fat and not labeled prime. I have added more veggies than the original recipe called for, because it is an easy way to increase my veggie intake. I like to make this recipe with beef stock, but doing so does add extra calories and sodium to the stew. You can use water instead of stock, but make sure to add a teaspoon of salt.

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Mediterranean Beef Stew
adapted from Cooking Light

What you need:
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 1/2 cups halved mushrooms (about 8 ounces)
3 cups diagonally cut carrot
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onion
3 cups sliced celery
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups beef stock (or water)
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
coarsely ground black pepper
2 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained
2 bay leaves
3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, drained
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

What you do:

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef in two batches; cook for about 5 minutes, browning on all sides.
2. Remove beef from pan and place on paper towel to strain.
3. Sauté mushrooms, carrots, onions, celery, and garlic cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Return beef to pan.
4. Add beef stock, wine, herbs and tomatoes; bring to a boil.
5. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour.
6. Add olives, and cook for 30 minutes or until beef is tender.
7. Discard bay leaves. Stir in vinegar. Sprinkle with parsley.

Serve over mashed potatoes (keep the skins on the potatoes because they contain lots of important nutrients and use low fat milk and olive oil for mashing). Keep the mashed potatoes thick and chunky.

Recipe makes 6 servings

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