Start this slow-cooker beef stew before you leave for work and you'll arrive home to a delicious and hearty meal. All you'll need to do is whip up the garlic-thyme sour cream topping, and it will be ready to eat.

• 2 pounds boneless beef arm pot roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 cups halved cremini or button mushrooms
• 4 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 pound round red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 medium medium parsnips, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup frozen pearl onions
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• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh rosemary or 1½ teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
• 4 cups lower-sodium beef broth
• ⅓ cup red wine or pomegranate juice
• ¾ cup light sour cream
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons snipped fresh thyme
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  Preparation

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• Prep
  30 m
• Ready In
  4 h 30 m

1. In a large skillet brown meat on all sides, half at a time, in hot oil over medium heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer meat to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Add mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, celery, onions, 3 minced cloves garlic and rosemary. Pour broth over all.
2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Stir in wine just before serving.
3. For topping, in a small bowl stir together sour cream, 1 minced clove garlic and thyme. To serve, ladle stew into eight serving bowls. Top each serving with some of the sour cream mixture.