photo credit: earl and pearl

It’s no surprise that the creamy dips, greasy chips, fried finger foods, and super-sized sandwiches usually served at Superbowl parties are not diet or health-friendly. The good news is that with a few recipe makeovers, all the flavors of football can be savored without wreaking havoc on your New Year’s weight-loss resolutions. So today, I’m sharing one of the YUMMIEST meatball recipes EVER. These Crock Pot BBQ Meatballs are crazy delicious and still pretty low in Points Total. They are a perfect Superbowl party food that will be adored by weight watchers and non-weight watchers alike. They stay nice and warm and moist in your crock pot, and the spicy BBQ sauce adds such a nice flavor to the meat. And with just a 2 Point Total per serving, these make a great appetizer recipe. Or, double the size of your meatballs, and serve it as a main dish recipe! Though not an official one of Weight Watchers Superbowl Recipes, these barbecue meatballs will definitely be a hit with all weight watching Superbowl snackers, and makes a great Superbowl party food idea.

Crock pot BBQ Meatballs Recipe

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pounds extra lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup uncooked quick oats
- 1/4 cup dry red wine
- 1/4 cup liquid egg whites
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp Kosher salt
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/4 cup BBQ sauce

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the meat, eggs, garlic, parsley, oregano, onions, salt and pepper. In a small bowl, soften the oats with the wine for 10 minutes Add the oats and wine to the meat mixture and mix well – you will need to do this with your hands in order to get everything incorporated well. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Shape meatball mixture into sixty 1-inch balls; place on baking sheet.
Bake at 350ºF until cooked through, about 25 minutes. Transfer meatballs to a crock pot to keep warm. Meanwhile, heat barbecue sauce and beef broth over medium-high heat until hot. Pour sauce over cooked meatballs, toss gently and serve. For parties, I just set the crock pot up on the food table, set on warm.

Entire recipe makes 30 servings
Serving size is 2 meatballs
Each serving = 2 Point Total

Stuffed Cabbage is a classic Jewish recipe that makes a great addition to your Hanukkah dinner! Most beef stuffed cabbage recipes can be pretty fattening and caloric, but this slimmed down version is sure to make you jump for joy. Each 2 roll serving has just 6 Weight Watchers Points, and the taste is so amazing, no one will even know that it’s a Weight Watchers recipe! They are very easy to make and they serve as a great dish to take to a holiday gathering or potluck dinner. So if you are looking for a delicious Hanukkah recipe that is tasty, impressive and low in Points, give this one a try – your friends and family are sure to love it!

Weight Watchers Stuffed Cabbage Recipe

Ingredients:
- 1/3 heads Savoy cabbage, about 8 whole leaves
- 1/2 pound uncooked extra lean ground beef (with about 4% fat)
- 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
- 1/2 cups water
- 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 1 medium carrots, peeled and grated
- 1 medium onions, finely chopped
- 1 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large egg white
- 1/2 tsp table salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 29 oz canned diced tomatoes, seasoned with basil, garlic and oregano

**Wanna turn this into a 4 Point Weight Watchers Recipe instead? Just substitute the rice for Orzo Miracle Noodle instead! Tastes the same, but you’ll knock 2 whole Weight Watchers Points off of each serving!! Woohoo!!!

Directions:
Wrap cabbage leaves in plastic wrap or moist paper towels and microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes, until soft. Cut off the thickest, white portion of the spine of each leaf to make leaves pliable and easy to fold; set aside.
Combine beef, rice, water, bread crumbs, carrot, onion, garlic, egg white, salt and pepper in a large bowl; mix well.
Spoon about 1/4 cup of beef mixture onto center of each leaf. Fold up bottom of leaf to cover filling, tuck in sides and then continue rolling to make loose rolls (rice will expand during cooking so it is important not to roll them too tightly).
Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat; add rolls and saute until golden brown on all sides, turning frequently, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until cooked through, checking pot every 15 minutes and stirring to prevent sticking, about 1 hour. (If sauce thickens or reduces, add water.) Enjoy!

Serving Size = 2 cabbage rolls
Each serving = 6 Weight Watchers Points

When I was young, I was never really a big fan of chili recipes. I always thought there were too many beans. And I hate most beans — lima beans, kidney beans, pinto beans — gross. However, the one type of bean I actually like is black beans. So, determined to find a good chili recipe that I liked, that was easy to make and that was also low calorie, healthy, and made for a good Weight Watchers recipe, I experimented until I developed a healthy chili recipe that was delicious, low calorie and not overcome with beans! This crock pot chili recipe not only tastes amazing, but it’s full of fiber, protein, vitamin A and vitamin C, while still being incredibly low in fat and calories. This is an amazing Weight Watchers chili recipe that your whole family will love. Give it a try!

Crock Pot Black Bean Chili Recipe

Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey breast or extra lean ground beef
1 large onion — finely chopped
2 fresch garlic cloves, minced
1 can (approx 15ox) black beans — rinsed and drained
1 large can (approx 29 oz) diced tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups water
1 small green pepper diced
1 small red pepper diced
1 small yellow pepper diced
7 oz diced green chilies
1 tbs. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp black pepper

Directions:
In nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook ground meat and garlic until meat is no longer pink; drain. Transfer meat to Crock Pot. Add remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Cook on “high” for 4 hours; remove lid and stir quickly halfway through. Enjoy!

Serves 8.
Each serving = 4 Weight Watchers Points

One of my most favorite 4th of July BBQ foods is a good old fashioned, fresh from the grill hamburger or cheeseburger! Unfortunately, those burgers can come with some pretty hefty nutritional stats. But my recipe is so amazingly delicious, it will knock your socks off! And don’t worry — it’s not a veggie burger or even a turkey burger — it’s a real, honest-to-goodness real beef hamburger! It’s the perfect Weight Watchers Fourth of July recipe to use if you are following the Weight Watchers plan, but still want to partake in all the holiday BBQ yumminess! This is definitely you’ll want to add to your 4th of July picnic’s menu!

4th of July Hamburger Recipe

Ingredients:
1 package of Wonder Light Hamburger Buns (8 buns in package)
32 oz. extra lean ground beef (it should be around 140 calories for 4 oz)
1/4 cup egg whites
1 packet of dry ranch seasoning/salad mix
4 minced garlic gloves
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, egg whites, ranch seasoning mix, garlic, and salt and pepper together, until thoroughly blended. Form meat into 8 flat and thin hamburger shaped patties. Barbecue on the grill until desired level of cooking is reaching. Place patty on bun and garnish. Enjoy!

*You can garnish your hamburger with any of the following and it will not affect the Weight Watchers Points value: lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, jalapeños, roasted peppers, or mushrooms.
**Make it a cheeseburger by adding a slice of reduced fat swiss or cheddar cheese, and add on 1 additional Weight Watchers Point

Serves 8.
Each serving = 4 Weight Watchers Points

For those days when you are craving a burger, but just can’t bring yourself to consume the massive amount of fat and calories that the average burger contains, try this tasty Hamburger Casserole Recipe for your crock pot. It’s hearty and filling and each serving has just 5 Weight Watchers Points, so you ‘ll easily be able to stay within your daily Points range. And it’s an easy dish to make for the whole family! This Weight Watchers crock pot recipe also reheats really well, so it’s great to take to work for a quick lunch, or to store in the freezer so you’ve got something on hand when you need a quick meal. Granted, it’s not quite the same as an In & Out Burger, but it’s delicious and will fill you up!

Hamburger Casserole Crock Pot Recipe

Ingredients:
16 oz. extra lean gr. beef (or turkey)
2 cups sliced raw potatoes
1 1/2 cups sliced carrots (I used frozen)
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup frozen peas –thawed
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn – thawed
1 10 oz. can healthy Request Tomato Soup
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 can mushrooms
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
In large skillet brown meat, onion & celery mixture and mushrooms. In slow cooker – sprayed with a butter flavored spray (or a non-stick cooking spray), combine meat mixture, potatoes, carrots, peas, and corn. Stir in tomato soup, water, parsley flakes and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours.

Serving = 1 cup
Each serving = 5 Weight Watchers Points

I have been obsessed with crock pot recipes lately. They are so easy to make, they’re fast, and there are so many variations of recipes that can be done with the crockpot. The possibilities are endless! And today’s cabbage soup recipe is no exception. It’s delicious, it’s filling, it has only 4 Weight Watchers Point, and it can feed a lot of people! It’s the perfect dish to take for a potluck or to serve at a dinner party. Plus, I always find it helpful to have soup on hand when I’m dieting because it’s a great thing to eat before a meal. It tends to fill you up so that you don’t over eat the main dish. This is a very good thing! So with this cabbage soup crock pot recipe, I’ll divide it up into its 4 Point portions and then freeze it. So whenever I’m hungry and have no patience to prepare a meal, I have quick access to a tasty soup that will help curb my appetite a bit. It’s a lifesaver. :)

Cabbage Roll Soup Crock Pot Recipe

Ingredients:
1 pound ground round
3 1/2 cups water
2 cups coarsely chopped green cabbage
1 cup sliced carrot
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cans beef consommé – undiluted–10.5 ounces per can
2 cans diced tomatoes – undrained–14.5 ounces per can
1/2 cup uncooked converted rice
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Brown meat in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; drain well. Place meat in a 4-quart electric slow cooker; stir in water and next 10 ingredients. Cover; cook on low-heat for 8 hours. Increase heat setting to high; stir in rice. Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes or until rice is
tender.

Makes 10 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups)
4 Weight Watchers Points per serving