• Cooking Time: 60
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup low sodium beef broth
• 2 14.5 ounces cans diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 carrots
• Meatballs (see recipe)
• 2 zucchini
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 cup rotini noodles

1. Prepare meatballs for stew.
2. In a skillet sauté onions until golden. Add flour and garlic; cook stirring for 30 seconds. Gradually stir in beef broth; bring to a boil. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaf and meatballs; cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile slice carrots diagonally, slice zucchini and green pepper. Add carrots to stew; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add zucchini and green pepper; cover and simmer for an additional 5 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender crisp.
4. In a pot of boiling water cook rotini noodles until al dente (tender but firm). Drain; stir into stew.

Source: Canadian Living's "Country Cooking" which we purchased in a quaint bookshop in Victoria, British Columbia.