Slow-Cooker Provencal Beef Stew - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 lbs boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 medium onions, cut into quarters
8 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 cup fat free low-sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 bay leaves
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
3 cups sliced zucchini (1-inch slices)
2 cups sliced carrots (1-inch slices)

Preparation

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle beef with 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper; dredge in flour. Add beef to pan; saute 2 minutes, browning on all sides. Place beef in slow cooker or crock pot.
Add onions and garlic to skillet; saute 5 minutes. Add wine to skillet, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Place onion mixture in slow cooker.
Add broth, tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme, and tomatoes to cooker; top with zucchini and carrots.
Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or until beef is tender. Stir in remaining 1 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs.