I’m not a huge fan of Chinese Food. I overindulged at lunch for years while working in an office two doors down from the best place in town. But, when I get the craving, not much will suffice. I had such a craving today and ordering takeout just wasn’t in the budget. So I improvised. 

This version of Chinese style Beef and Broccoli blew me (and any sort of idea that I might be on a diet) away. There’s no mystery meat, no strange chemicals. Just good old fashioned home cooked food!

Typically, I just mix and match and dump whatever sounds, or looks, good into my crockpot and turn it on. The last time I did that I created Crocka Cola Pot Roast– a hit at home and with over 840 pins in two weeks, I’d say a great big hit with my readers and on Pinterest!

This time, though, I adapted another blogger’s recipe. You can find the original here.  

Crockpot Beef and Broccoli

• 2lb Top Round Roast- cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 Cups Beef Broth (Use reduced fat for healthier option)
• 1 Cup Soy Sauce (Use low sodium for healthier option)
• 1 Cup Brown Sugar (Adjust to taste)
• 6 Cloves of Garlic
• 2 TBS Sesame Oil
• Dash of Red Pepper Flakes
• 4 TBS Cornstarch
• 2 Bags Frozen Broccoli (or Fresh Equivalent)
• 1 Can Water Chestnuts (Optional- My husband also suggested Bamboo Shoots)

1. Mix broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, sesame oil and red pepper in CrockPot. Add cut up beef, stir well. Cook on low for about four hours.
2. Take out about 1/4 cup of the broth. Mix well with cornstarch. Add the mixture back into the CrockPot to thicken the sauce. 
3. Add the frozen broccoli and water chestnuts. 
4. Cook an additional half to one hour. 

Serve over rice or noodles. 

I would say you could also use stew beef for this or even chicken but you’ll need to adjust your time accordingly. Chicken might take a little less time. For stew beef I would probably add another 2 hours to the total cook time since its a much tougher cut of meat. 

I’ve shared this post on the Mondays Parenting PIN-IT Party! Check it out!