Sunday Pot Roast

Main Dish: Sunday Pot Roast
The leanest cut of beef is the "round" section. It's high in iron, zinc and protein.

1 (3-pound) beef top round roast, trimmed of all visible fat
3 cups vegetable juice cocktail
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon dried basil
12 small red potatoes
24 baby carrots
6 stalks celery, sliced into 1-inch pieces
» Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
» Lightly coat an unheated Dutch oven with nonstick spray. Add the meat and brown over medium-high heat. Drain and discard any drippings.
» In a medium bowl, stir together vegetable juice, Worcestershire and basil. Pour mixture over meat. Cover and bake 45 minutes. Add potatoes, carrots and celery. Bake, covered, for approximately 60 minutes, or until meat and vegetables are tender.

Supporting Meals of the Week
1. Roast beef dip: Serve pieces of roast on hoagie rolls with sauce. To make sauce, reserve about 1 cup of juice after you remove the roast from the oven. Cover and chill. Discard any congealed fat, heat, and serve with sandwiches.
2. Beef-and-veggie stir-fry: Sauté beef with your favorite fresh or frozen Asian vegetables, chopped ginger, garlic and a bit of sesame oil. Serve over hot rice.
3. Shepherd's pie: Evenly layer chopped beef on the bottom of a casserole dish. Top with mashed potatoes and bake until golden.
4. Sloppy joes: Combine shredded beef with barbecue sauce and serve on whole-wheat hamburger buns.
5. Beef stroganoff: Top strips of beef and cooked egg noodles with a creamy mixture of mushrooms, onion, garlic, herbs and low-fat sour cream.