Weightwatchers Beef & Mushroom Casserole

A proper winter warmer

A casserole of tender beef that falls apart with a fork, lathered in a creamy mushroom sauce.  Perfect for the oncoming winter. 

These cold days and nights are definitely getting to me.  I cannot get the heat into me and I can't seem to fill myself up and i mean im really trying here.  I found this recipe on www.laaloosh.com and I thought that I really needed to give it a try. 

I decided that I needed to go back to eating at least 2 hot meals a day.  This sandwich and soup for lunch was just not cutting it with me.  An hour later i was ready to eat my arm off or still craving something, anything really.  I nearly always get this around this time of year.  I think it's my body's way of telling me I need to adjust my diet to suit the season.  So i did. 

This went down a storm and even my children loved it.  We had some left over and the next day it was even better.  

I must say that im not a huge fan of 7up and especially not for cooking with but I gave it a shot and i have to say that it was absolutely gorgeous and no, I could not taste it in the casserole at all. 

This may sound like a long time for cooking but really it was so easy, I started when the children were in school and by the time I was to collect them, it was all done.  In future, im going to double this recipe and keep half in the freezer for those busy week nights. 

Weightwatchers Propoints per Serving 6 

Weightwatchers Propoints per Recipe 24

Serves 4 

Ingredients

1 pound or 450g diced lean braising beef – 
1 can Erin Low Fat condensed mushroom soup
1 pkg. Ainsley Harriott French Onion Soup (I removed the croutons and I bought this in Aldi)

1 large punnet of mushrooms of choice, sliced

2 sticks of celery chopped

1 tin of chopped tomatoes
Diet Sprite or 7up (enough to fill the soup can back up to the brim)

Salt & Pepper

Arrowmat seasoning

Spray oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to gas mark 5. 

Mist pan with a little spray oil.  Season the meat.  Brown off the meat in a large non stick pan.  Transfer the meat to a Dutch Oven or a casserole dish.  

In a jug,  mix the condensed soup, tin of tomatoes and the 7up together.   Sprinkle the onion soup on top and stir.  Pour the mix on top of the meat and combine with a spoon.   Add in the celery and the mushrooms.

Place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, reducing the heat down to gas mark 4 after 1 1/2 hours.  Allow the casserole to sit for 30 minutes prior to serving. 

Serve with pasta, potatoes, rice, whichever you prefer but this will definitely be cooked again in my house and left overs are even better and great for lunch box meals the next day.

Enjoy the Niptuck way, so you don't have to!