Crockpot beef and broccoli

I always get grossed out by beef and broccoli from a Chinese place, but Pat loves it. So, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and make it for my husband :) It was a very pleasant surprise!!!! This was DELICIOUS!!!! We practically licked the crock pot clean! And it was pretty easy to make, too!

Crockpot Beef and Broccoli

1 pound boneless beef top round steak — trimmed of fat, cut into cubes

8 oz sliced mushrooms

1lb broccoli, cut into florets

1 large onion, cut into thin wedges

1 cup uncooked brown rice

2 cups fat free beef broth

1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp Red Roasted Chili Paste (like the kind from Thai Kitchen)

2 tsp sesame oil

1 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp water

In slow cooker, combine oil, beef, mushrooms, onion, broth, garlic, chili paste, soy sauce, pepper, and ginger; mix well. Cover; cook on low setting for 6-8 hours.

About 35 minutes before serving, cook rice in water as directed on package. Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons water and cornstarch; blend well. Add broccoli into beef mixture, then stir in the cornstarch. Cover; cook on low setting for an additional 30 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Serve over rice.

Modifications and my two cents: I would double the beef. I head of broccoli is alot in comparison to just 1 lb. of beef. I also did not serve this over brown rice, even though it would have been awesome. Blah for carbs. Finally, I substituted cooking tapioca for cornstarch for the simple reason that I had tapioca from a previous recipe and didn't feel like spending money on cornstarch!

Nutritional information:
Each serving = 8 WW Points + (3 Points + for the rice and 5 Points + for the Beef and Broccoli mixture)
PER SERVING: 308 calories; 6g fat; 34g carbohydrates; 30g protein; 5g fiber