Beef & Vegetable Casserole (serves 6-8)
(a cross between a Hungarian Goulash & a Greek meat casserole)

Please note: In order to encourage the intake of a wide variety of vegetables, in line with HECs Healthy Eating Tips, Dr Kouris-Blazos has adapted many traditional recipes on this website to increase the amount and variety of vegetables in the recipes. All recipes have been tested in her kitchen and judged by her family (which includes 2 primary school age children with very fussy taste buds!).

Tip: this recipe is very easy but it takes a couple of hours of simmering on the stove till it is cooked; try cooking it the night before (it can be simmering away on the stove while you are watching TV at night). It will taste even better the next day because the flavours 'cure' overnight.

Ingredients
· 800g diced beef (for casserole) e.g topside steak trimmed of all visible fat and cut into 2cm cubes or 4 large pieces of "Osso Bucco"
· 1 large onion (or 2 medium), chopped
· 4 cloves garlic, crushed
· 1/2 cup chopped parsley
· 1 large carrot sliced
· 1 large capsicum, sliced
· 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes (e.g La Gina)
· 1 cup frozen peas
· 2 teaspoons vegetable or beef stock powder (e.g Massel)
· 2 cups water
· 1 cup red wine (this will add a lovely tang to the dish)
· 2 teaspoons paprika
· 1 teaspoon oregano (try getting dry oregano that is still on its stalk from a Greek/Turkish deli - the flavour is much better than loose dry oregano)
· 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
· iodised salt (end of cooking if needed)

Accompaniments: boiled pasta/noodles or rice or mashed potatoes

Method
1. Cook onion and garlic in oil in a wide saucepan until transparent.
2. Add paprika, oregano, parsley and stir well.
3. Pour in water, wine and tinned tomato.
4. Add sliced vegetables, peas and stock powder.
5. Add diced beef to pot. Make sure beef is completely covered by liquid, if not, then add more water.
6. Bring to the boil and simmer covered for 1-2 hours or until beef is tender and the liquid is reduced to a thick sauce. If the liquid is too watery try dissolving one tablespoon of cornflour or low fat gravy powder in a couple of tablespoons of hot water and stir through the casserole.