Mexican Chicken Meatball Soup

1 package Tyson Fully Cooked Chicken Meatballs

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 (4-ounce) can green chilies, chopped
2 (15-ounce) cans Italian-style stewed tomatoes, chopped, reserving the juice
8 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon hot sauce or to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:
Chopped cilantro
low-carb tortilla strips
Avocado cubes
Sour cream
Pickled Jalapeno
Monterey Jack cheese


Preheat oven to 425. Arrange meatballs in single layer on a cooking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes.

While meatballs bake heat olive oil in a 4-6 quart stockpot. Brown onion and garlic. To the onions add the green chilies, stewed tomatoes, chicken stock, chili powder, cumin, hot sauce.

Simmer the soup for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the cooked meatballs and bring soup back to a simmer. Serve soup with garnishes.

WLS patients should eat 3-5 meatballs topped with a modest serving of liquid.

5 meatballs contain 13g protein, 11g fat (3 saturated), 6 grams carbs.

Chicken Meatball and Ravioli Soup

1 package Tyson Fully Cooked Chicken Meatballs

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion finely chopped
1 garlic clove minced
1 (28 ounce) can chopped tomatoes (undrained)
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 (32 ounce) container Swanson chicken broth
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon each dried thyme and oregano
8 ounces mini cheese-filled ravioli

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425. Arrange frozen meatballs in single layer on a cooking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes.

While meatballs bake heat olive oil in a 4-6 quart stockpot. Brown onion and garlic.

Add tomatoes and liquid, tomato paste, broth, water, sugar, basil, thyme and oregano. Bring mixture to a simmer, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Add ravioli and cook, covered at a gentle boil according to package directions (approximately 10 to 15 minutes), until they are just tender and no longer have a starchy taste. Stir in meatballs and return to simmer. Stir in parsley and sprinkle with cheese.

Serve warm.

WLS patients should eat 3-5 meatballs topped with a modest serving of ravioli and liquid.

5 meatballs contain 13g protein, 11g fat (3 saturated), 6 grams carb

Pumpkin “Pie” Mousse

from Diane Shields

Ingredients:
2 (1 ounce) boxes sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups milk (I use fat free evaporated- it makes it very rich)
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
Put all ingredients into blender. Mix well and pour into small dessert dishes. Refrigerate.

I also use the cheesecake flavored pudding for an even better taste

Green Beans with Caramelized Onions

An outstanding take on an old favorite, this is Diane Shields' low-fat, low-carb green bean casserole. Delicious!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 (16 ounce) package frozen
pearl onions
1 (16 ounce) package frozen
cut green beans, thawed
1 tablespoon fresh dill weed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper


Directions:
Heat the oil and sugar in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions; cook and stir until tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Mix the green beans with the onions, and cook for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and season with dill, salt and pepper.

Diane's Cranberry Relish

This recipe comes from our frequent contributor, Diane Shields. She faithfully combines a low-carb, low-fat lifestyle with her WLS to keep her weight and blood sugar under control. And her recipes are always delicious - Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cranberries
1 sm pkg sugar free jello ...cranberry flavor
water

Directions:
Rinse cranberries and cover with water. Simmer until soft and most of the liquid is cooked down. Stir and mash all cranberries to a pulp. It should have the consistency of mashed bananas. Add the package of jello to the warm pulp and stir until dissolved. Add 1 1/4 c cold water, stir and refrigerate. When set, stir again to loosen the sauce. This is very"sweet" so a little goes a long way.

Kabuki's Sugarless Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:
1 (9-inch) baked pie shell
2 small boxes sugar-free instant vanilla pudding
2 cups milk
2 cups plain canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mixture)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth. Pour into baked pie
shell and chill until ready to use.

Kabuki's Parmesan Broccoli and Mushrooms

Easy & Delicious. Most WLS patients report a good tolerance for all of the ingredients in this easy sidedish.

Ingredients:
1 (10 ounce package frozen chopped broccoli, cooked and drained)
1 (4-1/2 ounce jar sliced mushrooms, drained
2 tablespoons fat-free margarine
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
While broccoli is still warm, combine above ingredients. Toss and
serve.

Kabuki's Cheesecake Squares

Ingredients:
1 pkg. sugar-free Jello
1 cup boiling water
2 pkg. cream cheese, softened (8-oz. packages)

Directions:
1. Combine Jello granules and boiling water in a bowl. Stir until
dissolved.
2. Add cream cheese and mix until of an even consistency.
3. Pour into a baking pan and refrigerate until firm.
Serves 16

Sugar-Free Chocolate Cream Pie

Ingredients:
Pastry for single-crust 9-inch pie
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 to 1/3 cup European or Dutch-process cocoa
10-3/4 teaspoons Equal® for Recipes
or 36 packets Equal® sweetener
or 1-1/2 cups Equal® Spoonful™
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups skim milk
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons thawed frozen light whipped topping

Equal® sweetener can be substituted with other sweetener products. Nutrition contents might be different from those listed below.

Directions:
1. Roll pastry on lightly floured surface into circle 1 inch larger than inverted 9-inch pie pan. Ease pastry into pan; trim and flute edge. Pierce bottom and side of pastry with fork. Bake in preheated 425oF oven until crust is browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
2. Combine cornstarch, cocoa, Equal® and salt in medium saucepan; stir in milk. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Boil until thickened, about 1 minute.

3. Beat eggs and egg whites in small bowl; whisk about 1 cup chocolate mixture into eggs. Whisk egg mixture into chocolate mixture in saucepan. Cook over very low heat, whisking constantly, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.

4. Spread hot filling in baked crust; refrigerate until chilled and set, about 6 hours. Cut into wedges and place on serving plates; garnish each serving with dollop of whipped topping, if desired.

Nutrition (1/8 slice of pie): 188 calories; 7 grams protein; 25 grams carbs; 7 grams fat.

No-Sugar Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:
Pastry for single-crust 9-inch pie
1 can (16 ounces) pumpkin
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated skim milk
3 eggs
5-1/2 teaspoons Equal® for Recipes
or 18 packets Equal® sweetener
or 3/4 cup Equal® Spoonful™
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions:
Roll pastry on floured surface into circle 1 inch larger than inverted 9-inch pie pan. Ease into pan; trim and flute edge.

Beat pumpkin, evaporated milk and eggs in medium bowl; beat in remaining ingredients. Pour into pastry shell. Bake in preheated 425°F oven 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350°F and bake until knife inserted near center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Nutrition (1/8 slice of pie): 175 calories; 8 grams protein; 22 grams carbs; 7 grams fat