One Pot Wonder: Red Wine Pot Roast

i ran yesterday. that has nothing to do with this post or recipe but it's the first time i've run outside since, well, i can't even remember. my quads can't remember either as they spent the rest of the day throbbing & cursing. but as i went to add the 45 minute jog to my "my fitness pal" app {which by the way, is an amazing, accurate app that holds you accountable for calories-you should get it!!}, i had a thought. if you run, in this sweltering/sauna heat, can't you double the calories burned b/c it's apparent i doubled the amount a normal person would sweat in an hour?! yes? no?

if you have the answer to that i'd really like to know.

but before i ran, i tossed the following recipe into the crock pot. i've shared my {one pot wonder: irresistible italian pot roast} with you but i wanted to make one that had a red wine sauce vs. a tomato-based sauce. this was absolutely delicious, lean, low in calories & made for a perfect little bowl full of my husbands idea of the food pyramid: meat - cheese - carb.

{one pot wonder: red wine pot roast}

ingredients {in order of use}

*serves 4-6

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 {2-3 pound} boneless chuck roast
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 {10 ounce} package sliced mushrooms
• 1 sweet onion, {vidalia preferably}
• 1 packet dry onion soup
• 1 {14 ounce} can beef broth
• 1 cup red wine
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 1 package baby carrots {as many/few as you'd like}

1. in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. while the skillet is heating, remove roast from package, place on a plate & season both sides with salt & pepper. place in skillet & sear on both sides until browned. transfer to crock pot.

2. toss in package of sliced mushrooms, onion, dry onion soup mix, beef broth, red wine, garlic & thyme. turn on low heat & cook for approx. 6 hours. add carrots & turn heat to high & continue cooking for another 2 hours.

3. when meat is tender & has cooked for approx. 8 hours, transfer to a plate. remove any fatty pieces & cut meat into smaller pieces. place lean meat back in crock pot, shred with 2 forks & dispose of fatty pieces.

4. serve over rice, egg noodles or our favorite, buitoni whole wheat 3 cheese tortellini!