Cumin-Crusted Pot Roast with Sweet Potatoes and Parsnips

Browning the pot roast before it braises maximizes the flavors in the dish by creating a caramelized crust on the meat.

1 ½ T instant minced onion
1 T cumin seeds
1 t-dried oregano
½ t garlic powder
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ¼ t salt, divided 3 lb boneless chuck roast, trimmed
Cooking spray
4 small onions, each cut into 8 wedges
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 (14 oz) can fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
3 cups (1/2 inch) cubed peeled sweet potatoes
2 cups chopped peeled parsnips
2 cups (1/2 in) pieces green bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Combine first five ingredients in a spice or coffee grinder; process until finely ground. Stir in ½ t salt. Lightly coat roast with cooking spray; rub spices mixture over roast.

3. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add roast to pan, and cook for six minutes turning to brown on all sides. Remove roast from pan. Add onions to pan; sauté three minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic, and sauté for one minute. Add balsamic vinegar, beef broth, and diced tomatoes; bring to a boil. Return roast to pan; cover. Bake at 350 for two hours, turning roast after one hour.

4. Add potatoes, parsnips, and bell pepper to pan; cover and bake an additional one hour or until vegetables are tender. Remove roast from pan, and let stand for 15 minutes. Shred meat with two forks. Stir remaining ¼ t salt and parsley into vegetable mixture. Serve roast with vegetable mixture and cooking liquid.