low-cal feeds a crowd quick

texas beef with butternut squash

►make ahead up to 12 hours

Prep: 25 minutes Chill: up to 12 hours Cook: 8 to 10 hours (low) or 4 to 5 hours (high) Makes: 8 servings

• 1½ pounds beef chuck roast
• 4 cups 1½-inch cubes peeled butternut squash
• 2 14.5-ounce cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1½ cups no-salt-added beef broth or water
• ¾ cup chopped onion
• 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
• 1 tablespoon ground ancho chile pepper
• 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
•   Snipped fresh cilantro
•   Hot cooked polenta or hot cooked rice (optional)

1. Place a disposable slow cooker liner in a 5- to 6-quart ceramic slow cooker. Trim beef roast and cut beef into 2-inch pieces. Place beef, squash, tomatoes, beef broth, onion, chiles, chile pepper, cocoa powder, cumin, oregano, and garlic in disposable liner. Using a twist tie, close the disposable liner. Place the ceramic liner in the refrigerator overnight. (To serve today, cover and cook as directed in Step 2.)

2. Place the ceramic liner in the slow cooker. Remove the twist tie from disposable liner. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Sprinkle each serving with cilantro. If desired, serve with polenta or hot cooked rice.

Per serving: 258 cal., 13 g fat (5 g sat. fat), 75 mg chol., 313 mg sodium, 16 g carb., 4 g fiber, 19 g pro.

To save time cutting up the meat, look for precut beef stew meat in the meat department of your supermarket. The pieces may be a little smaller than 2 inches, but it will save you a few minutes of prep time.