Hearty Winter Beef Stew

Yesterday was cold and blustery, it was a perfect day for beef stew! And it's super easy (and affordable) to make! I literally threw this all together in the crock pot in 10 minutes before I ran out the door to go to work. Let me know if you make it and how it turns out!

Hearty Winter Beef Stew

1 - 2 lbs grass fed beef stew chunks (I only used 1 lb, but if you like yours with a lot of meat, double it)
1 qt organic french onion soup ( I use Pacific Foods brand)
1 cup organic beef broth
*1/2 cup of red wine (optional, I like the flavor it provides)
5 - 6 medium sized organic potatoes
1 large bunch of organic celery
1 large organic sweet onion
4 - 5 organic garlic cloves
1 - 2 large organic carrots
1 cup organic corn
1 cup organic peas
2 bayleaves
1 - 2 tsp organic celery salt (I use the simply organic brand)
1 Tbpsn organic italian seasoning
1 tbspn kosher salt (add half a tbspn at a time to taste, I tend to like things a little saltier than most!)
Ground black pepper to taste
Tiny pinch of red pepper flakes
Whole wheat flour

Season the beef with salt and pepper and dump in a crock pot
Add whole wheat flour - enough to create a thick coat on the beef
Chop up potatoes, celery, onion, garlic, and carrots and add to the beef
Add the onion soup, beef broth, and red wine, mix the pot
Add bay leaves, celery salt, italian seasoning, ground pepper, red pepper flakes, and half the kosher salt
Turn the crock pot on high and cover for 6 - 8 hours, stirring occasionally
Taste the stew near doneness and add salt as needed
About 30 - 45 minutes before serving, add the corn and peas and cover
Serve with yummy whole wheat bread