Beef, Brown Rice, and Mushroom Soup

1. In a 4-quart stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the oil and garlic together over medium heat, until the garlic begins to brown. Remove the garlic and discard.

2. Add the celery and carrots and stir-fry them until they are lightly brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove the vegetables to a plate.

3. Add the whole piece of meat to the pot and brown it for about 5 minutes on each side. Remove the meat to a cutting board.

4. Pour the broth into the stockpot and scrape the bottom with a spatula to deglaze it. Stir in the thyme leaves, paprika, pepper, and tomato paste.

5. Cut the meat into 3/4-inch cubes and return it to the pot, along with any juices that have formed.

6. Cover the pot and cook at a very light simmer for about 40 minutes. Add the brown rice and continue to simmer for 20 minutes. Add the mushrooms and reserved vegetables along with their juices. Simmer 30 more minutes, then serve.

Variations and Substitutions

Half a teaspoon of dried thyme can be substituted for fresh thyme if you don't have fresh leaves on hand. You can also use a different grain if you don't have short-grain brown rice. Use white rice, wild rice, or an ancient grain like quinoa, farro, or barley. If you prefer not to use a grain, add chopped cauliflower to get a similar taste.

You can add other veggies as well if you have some on hand. Toss in some onions, potatoes, or peas. But keep in mind that not all vegetables are low FODMAP (like onions) so if you follow that eating program, choose your ingredients carefully.

If you are unable to buy a nice thick chuck steak for this recipe, buy a chuck roast and ask the butcher to cut it into two thick slabs for you. Pre-cut "stew meat" can also be used, saving a step, but you won't know what cut of meat you are purchasing, and it may not be as juicy and tender as chuck.

Lastly, if you follow a vegetarian diet, omit the beef and use vegetable stock instead of beef or chicken stock. Then double the amount of mushrooms to bulk up the soup. You won't get the meaty taste that beef provides, but the veggies still provide quite a bit of flavor.

Cooking and Serving Tips

• Make a double batch of this soup and freeze half of it in single-serve containers to heat up on a rainy day.
• Make this soup in a slow cooker. Just be sure to brown the meat first and then add it to the slow cooker. There is no need to brown the veggies, just add them to the pot with the other ingredients and cook on low for four hours or more.
• Be sure to refrigerate any unused soup promptly. It's tempting to leave a soup pot on the stove but this practice can allow bacteria to grow and lead to foodborne illness.