Dairy & Grain-Free Italian Meatballs

Fact: Everybody LOVES meatballs. YUM! I’m part Italian so of course I

Healthy Meatballs!

love meatballs, my mom makes them the absolute BEST! BUT, the very first time I ever had a “healthy” meatball was from my wonderful friend Michelle Marie Diaz (of Michelle Marie Fit). It was one of her famous recipes, Turkey & Spinach meatballs and they were delicious!

As I get closer and closer to the stage (ONLY 2 and a half weeks!!!) I cut out a lot of foods, so at this point I am completely dairy-free with the occasional cup of fat-free cottage cheese. So I made this recipe the other night in desperation of a little variety in this very strict diet! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did! 🙂

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground chicken breast (can sub turkey breast, ground buffalo, lean sirloin, etc.)
• 1 heaping tablespoon brown rice bread crumbs (found mine at Publix in the Greenwise section)
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
• 1-2 tablespoons parsley, dried
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper (add more for a KICK!)
• 1 egg white
• Sea salt & black pepper to taste
• Optional: 1/4-1/2 cup tomato sauce

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.) In a large mixing bowl, combine ALL ingredients listed, except for tomato sauce. Stir with a fork until they are completely incorporated. Note*: If mixture seems “too wet” add a little more of the brown rice bread crumbs.

3.) Form small meatballs with your hands and place on a lighlty greased baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

4.) Let cool for a few minutes. Warm 1/4- 1/2 cup tomato sauce in a small saucepan and lightly toss meatballs until they are coated. Serve over whole grain pasta or zucchini “rice” for a low carb option! *BONUS RECIPE BELOW!

ENJOY!

**Fun Foodie Tip: I doubled this recipe and had leftovers for several days! 🙂

Love-Carb Zucchini-Balsamic Rice

Ingredients:

• 1-2 whole zucchini’s
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Sea salt & black pepper to taste

Directions:

1.) Grate 1-2 large zucchini’s and sautee in a pan on medium heat.

2.) Season with balsamic vinegar, sea salt & black pepper and cook for just a few minutes. *You could add some tomato sauce for more of a “past” feel.

3.) Serve with healthy Italian meatballs!

Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I LOVE the lettuce wraps that they serve at P.F. Changs. They are seriously AMAZING, but also a little on the

Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps

fattening side for what is considered a “healthy” dish. An order of P.F. Changs chicken lettuce wraps will give you 530 calories and 24 grams of fat. An order of P.F. Change vegetarian lettuce wraps will give you a whopping 610 calories and 36 grams of fat. Which is surprising, you’d think the vegetarian version would get you less calories and fat, not MORE!

This is a great recipe that is full of veggies and very low in fat. The only fats I add to the entire recipe is 1/4 cup chopped cashews (189 calories and 15 grams of fat). The flavor in this dish comes from fresh herbs and spices. The cashews and chopped cucumber give these lettuce wraps a really nice crunch while the red pepper gives them a nice, spicy kick!

These are especially great to make when you want to have a fun and creative dinner while still watching your carbohydrate intake. This is one of my favorite Friday night dishes!

Ingredients:
1 lb. thinly sliced chicken breast cutlets
1 bag broccoli slaw
1 head butter bib lettuce
1/4 cup cashews, chopped
1/4 cup cucumber, chopped
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
4 TBSP low-sodium soy sauce
2 TBSP fresh cilantro, chopped
2 TBSP crushed red pepper (use less if you don’t want them too spicy!)
1 TBSP dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1-2 garlic cloves, chopped
Light cooking spray

Healthy, Low Carb Dinner!

Directions:

1.) Cut thinly sliced chicken breasts into small cubes. Toss in 2 TBSP of low sodium soy sauce, 2 TBSP crushed red pepper and salt & pepper to taste. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until thoroughly cooked.

2.) Spray a large saucepan with light cooking spray and sautee chopped garlic and green onion for about 2 minutes.

3.) Add broccoli slaw, cook for about 5 minutes until it begins to soften. I cover it with a lid sometimes to quicken the process.

4.) Add in chicken and chopped cashews, stir until well mixed.

5.) In a small mixing bowl, combine 2 TBSP soy sauce, dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar. Wisk until completely incorporated. Pour over top of the broccoli slaw and stir until all the ingredients are coated with the sauce.

6.) Remove broccoli slaw mixture from heat and place in a large serving bowl. Top with freshly chopped cilantro and cucumber. Add salt & pepper to taste.

7.) Separate butter bib lettuce into leaves and place one on top of the other on a serving dish. Serve and ENJOY! 🙂