Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven and sear the meat for 5 minutes or until browned from all sides. Don't move around during cooking and don't crowd the pan. Do this in 2 batches if necessary. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and cook the onions, carrot, celery, zucchini and herbs on a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic for 1 further minute.
Return the meat to the pan and add the tomato paste, coconut aminos, red wine, stock and salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover to cook for 1 hour 30 minutes. (If your beef is not tender yet, see *** in the recipe notes below.)
Adjust seasoning to taste and discard the bay leaves. Remove ¾ cup of vegetables and juice (pick out any beef) and puree using a hand stick blender until smooth. Add back to pan and stir.
Serve with fresh parsley and thyme.
Notes
6.8g net carbs per portion. Makes 5 portions of 1.5 cup each.Use good quality grass fed beef - it really will give the best flavour and won’t be tough.*** If your beef is still tough after 90 minutes, add an additional 1 cup / 240ml of liquid and continue cooking for another 30 minutes - 1 hour. Bonus: This way, the vegetables are so soft the sauce becomes thick and glossy all on its own. Simply mash a few with a fork if necessary - no need to puree. Option to add in green vegetables such as green beans or kale during the last few minutes of cooking for a bit of crunch. You can replace the coconut aminos with soya sauce. However, it really does add another umami dimension to this stew.Serve with a green side salad, cauliflower rice or mashed cauliflower.