How to Make Slow Cooker Beef and Tomato Stew:

• In a large skillet, warm the oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery, and sauté them, stirring regularly, until the vegetables become tender, which should take about 10 minutes.
  1 tbsp. olive oil, 1 large yellow onion, diced small, 3 medium carrots, sliced into coins, 3 celery stalks, sliced into 1/4" pieces
• Transfer this mixture into a 6 – 7 quart slow-cooker, and combine it with the beef, tomatoes, broth, garlic, salt, and pepper.
  2 lbs. beef chuck roast, fat well-trimmed, cut into 1" pieces, 1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes, 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 1 tsp. kosher salt, 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• Cover the slow-cooker and set it to cook on high for 6 hours, giving it a gentle stir every 1-1/2 hours. (This dish benefits from the stirring.)
• When it's time to serve, portion out brown rice and ladle the stew into six bowls, then finish each with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of minced parsley.
  sour cream, minced parsley