Adapted from Cooking Light
Hearty slow-cooking stew; freezes well & reheats beautifully.
Stir together first 8 ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add thyme sprigs and bay leaves; dollop the tomato paste on top.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add half of the beef cubes; cook until well browned, about 6 minutes, turning once. Add the first batch of browned beef cubes to the slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and beef cubes. Scatter the carrot pieces over the beef.