photo credit: primal kitchen chaos

Sticking with the WW Italian Food Recipes, I thought I’d share this outrageously delicious Italian Meatballs Recipe. Each serving has just 6 Points +, which really is not bad, considering that we’re talking about beef meatballs here. Plus, this recipe makes 8 servings, so it’s great for a big family dinner or potluck. The cinnamon and nutmeg give the meat such a great flavor, and the sauce is so full bodied and delicious…no one will have any idea that this is a low calorie meatball recipe. Enjoy!

Italian Meatballs Recipe

Ingredients:
- 1lb extra lean ground beef (96% lean)
- 1/2 cup bulgur
- 2 cups whole-wheat bread, cubed
- ½ cup yellow onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 3 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 packet Splenda
- 2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Directions:
Place bulgur in a medium bowl and cover generously with hot water. Let soak for 30 minutes. Drain in a fine sieve, pressing to remove excess liquid.
Meanwhile, spray a large Dutch oven with nonfat cooking spray and place over medium-low heat. Add the onion, oregano and ½ the garlic; cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 1 minute. Stir in canned tomatoes and bay leaves; increase heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low. Partially cover and let simmer while you prepare meatballs.
Whisk egg substitute in a large bowl. Add the bulgur, the bread, beef, Parmesan, cinnamon, nutmeg, the rest of the garlic and the salt & pepper. Gently combine with a potato masher and/or your hands. If mixture seems too dry, add in 1-2 tbsp of water. Form into 28 meatballs, about 1 inch.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; blot with paper towels. Brown the remaining meatballs.
Mash the simmering tomato sauce with a potato masher to break down any large chunks of tomato. Add the meatballs to the sauce. Add in the Splenda. Simmer over low heat, partially covered, for 50 minutes. Serve the meatballs with the sauce, and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

Entire recipe makes 8 servings
Serving size is 3 meatballs with sauce
Each serving = 6 Points +

PER SERVING: 237 calories; 7 g fat; 20 g carbohydrates; 24 g protein; 5 g fiber

photo credit: for the love of cooking

My husband is a huge fan of meatball subs, so I decided to make a slimmed down version to create a delicious meatball sub recipe that we could BOTH enjoy. And by simply substituting a few traditional ingredients, it was a success! Tasty and satisfying each meatball sandwich has just 5 Points + and is a great “manly” food that all weight watchers can enjoy. And though this is not an official Weight Watchers Meatball Sandwich Recipe, it’s definitely a great meal idea for anyone who doesn’t want to give up the “good” foods while dieting.

Low Calorie Meatball Sandwich Recipe

Ingredients:
- 1 lb extra lean ground turkey
- 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup liquid egg substitute
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tbsp dried basil
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp granulated onion powder
- 1/2 tbsp sea salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 24 oz canned diced tomatoes
- Low Points Plus rolls, like Sara Lee Delightful Hot Dog Buns or Orowheat Sandwich Rounds
- 8 slices of light Sargento Reduced Fat Provolone Cheese

OPTIONAL: garnish with fresh shredded basil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place oven racks in top 1/3 of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or foil that’s been coated with non-fat cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine turkey, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, oregano, parsley, basil, garlic and salt & pepper. Scoop out turkey mixture and gently shape a small meatball (about the size of a tablespoon) and place on a prepared baking sheet; repeat with remaining ingredients to make 32 meatballs. Bake about 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure to shake the pans every 5 min to promote even browning of the meatballs.
Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan, heat up can of diced tomatoes. Feel free to mix in additional garlic, parsley, oregano, basil, salt and peeper for extra flavor. It won’t affect the points value.
When meatballs are done, remove from baking sheets. Place rolls on same baking sheets; top each piece with 4 meatballs. Spoon about 3 tablespoons sauce over meatballs in each sandwich; top each with 1 slice of light provolone cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and sandwiches are heated through, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Entire Recipe makes 8 servings
Serving size is 1 meatball sandwich
Each serving = 5 Points +

PER SERVING: 250 calories; 6 g fat; 21 g carbohydrates; 19 g protein; 7 g fiber

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

Albóndigas, which means meatballs in Spanish, are found in Sopa de Albondigas, a popular food dish that originated in Mexico. In this recipe, the meatballs are made with rice in them and the broth is usually chicken based. The following vegetables are commonly used in this dish: onion, carrots, potatoes, squashes, chayote and seasonings such as cilantro, mint, salt and garlic.

When mixing the rice and meat together, I’d recommend adding raw eggs so that when the meatballs are dropped into the boiling pot they will stiffen a bit and won’t break apart on you! Though, if you add the eggs, just remember to count in those extra Weight Watchers Points!

If you want to bulk up this dish for the non-dieters, you can follow the tradition of the Mexican Northwest, by accompanying the dish with warm rolled tortillas topped with mayonnaise and salsa. Yum!

Albondigas Recipe

1/2 pound ground chuck
1/2 onion – minced
2 cloves garlic – minced
1/4 cup instant rice – uncooked
1 egg
Salt and pepper — to taste
4 ounces chopped green chilies –canned, drained
1 carrot – shredded
14 1/2 ounces stewed tomatoes – canned
4 cups hot water
2 cups lowfat beef broth — or water
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley – or cilantro

In a bowl, combine beef, onion, garlic, rice, egg, salt and pepper to taste. Form into 1 1/2″ meatballs. Place chilies and shredded carrots in bottom of slow cooker. Spoon tomatoes evenly on top. Place meatballs on top of tomatoes. Pour in water, broth, oregano and parsley or cilantro. Cover and cook on LOW 5 1/2 to 6 hours. Garnish this popular Mexican soup with sprigs of fresh cilantro or mint, and serve with flour tortillas.

Per serving: 121 Calories (kcal); 7g Total Fat; 7g Protein; 9g Carbohydrate; 45mg Cholesterol; 48mg Sodium

Weight Watchers Points Value = 3 (WW Points)