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This hearty beef stew is perfect for those with ADHD because it's forgiving with timing and measurements. You can prep ingredients in stages while earlier components cook, and the long simmer time means you won't ruin anything if you get distracted and come back to it later. Plus, it makes plenty of leftovers for when cooking feels overwhelming on busy days.

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Classic Beef Stew

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6-8

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 medium potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 4 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 cup red wine (optional)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup flour
• Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

** Instead of cutting the vegetables by hand you can use a veggie chopper like I did. This is the one I use.

Instructions

1. Season beef chunks with salt and pepper, then coat with flour.
2. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches until well-seared on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Remove to a plate.
3. In the same pot, add onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4. Return beef to the pot. Add tomato paste and stir to coat everything.
5. Pour in wine (if using) and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom. Add beef broth, bay leaves, and thyme.
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
7. Add potatoes and carrots. Simmer for another 45 minutes.
8. Add bell peppers and cook for final 15 minutes until vegetables are tender and meat is very soft.
9. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

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Tips for ADHD Cooking Success

**Set three separate timers: one for the first hour of simmering, one for when to add potatoes and carrots, and one for the bell peppers. This way you can focus on other things without worry.

**Prep all vegetables before starting to cook the meat. Store cut vegetables in separate containers or zip-top bags so you can easily grab them when needed without having to remember what goes in when.

**Keep a sticky note on the counter with the times written down for each addition (1 hour initial simmer, 45 minutes after potatoes/carrots, 15 minutes after peppers). This creates a visual reminder of the cooking stages.

**Use the cooking time to clean up in small bursts - wash prep dishes during the first simmer, wipe down counters during the second, etc. Breaking tasks into smaller chunks makes them less overwhelming.