Best Slow Cooker Pot Roast

We love a pot roast with cream of mushroom soup and dry onion soup mix, but one day I realized that I didn't have cream of mushroom soup (There is a dry onion soup mix on this blog. Look up Homemade Dry Onion Soup Mix) so I found this recipe from Kimberly Killebrew's blog, The Daring Gourmet. It is yummy.

Ingredients

• 4 pound beef round roast or chuck depending on how lean you prefer it
• 2 tablespoons oil (use one with a high smoke point - I use avocado oil)
• 2 carrots roughly chopped
• 2 stalks celery roughly chopped
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 strips bacon cut in half
• 2 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1/2 cup dry red wine optional
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 bay leaves
• For the Rub:
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon basil
• 1/4 teaspoon parsley
• For the Gravy Slurry:
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour mixed into a slurry with 1/2 cup canned beef broth

Instructions:

1.  Rub the roast all over with the rub mix.

2.  Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over high heat and liberally brown the roast on all sides. Place the roast in a slow cooker.

3.  Add the broth to the skillet, return to a boil, and whisk to loosen up the browned bits. Add the tomato paste, wine (if you want to use it), and salt and whisk to combine.

4.  Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and bay leaves into the slow cooker around and on top of the roast. Lay the strips of bacon alongside and on top of the roast. Pour the beef broth/tomato paste mixture over everything.

5. Cook on low setting for 8-9 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

6. Pour the liquid from he slow cooker into a stock pot, leaving the roast and the vegetables in the warm slow cooker. Bring to a boil and whisk in the gravy slurry and continue whisking the gravy until it is thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

7. Place the pot roast on a serving platter and spoon the vegetables around it. Discard the bay leaves and bacon. Pour a little of the gravy over it and serve with gravy on the side along with potatoes and your choice of sides. 

No Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites (Vegan)

Ingredients

• 3.5 ounces organic quick cook oats (feel free to use gluten free oats, or rolled oats – just grind them into more of a flour consistency)
• 4.5 ounces organic cashew butter (or nut butter of choice)
• 3 tablespoons organic maple syrup/agave nectar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ounces vegan chocolate chips

Preparation

1. In a mixing bowl stir together the cashew butter, maple syrup and vanilla extract
2. In a separate bowl, mix the oats, flour and chocolate chops and stir until combined
3. Add the ‘liquid’ to the flour bowl and mix until all is combined (if it’s a little dry or finding it hard to stick together, add a drop of water)
4. Roll the mixture into 18 even balls, pop in the fridge for at least 10 minutes, then enjoy!