Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs

One dish that I never get sick of is a classic meatball. Now, being on Weight Watchers, I try to find some variations of meatballs that use as many 0 point foods as possible so I can pack as much flavor in without the guilt. These delicious teriyaki chicken meatballs are perfect as an appetizer or as a main dish over rice or noodles. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 lb ground chicken breast

3 tbsp fresh minced ginger

3 tsp minced garlic

1/3 cup minced scallions (save additional for garnish)

2 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

1 egg

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

Canola oil spray

Salt to taste

Garlic ginger teriyaki marinade, or other Asian sauce of choice (store bought)

Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel Seasoning, for garnish

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  2. In a large bowl, combine ground chicken breast, ginger, garlic, scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil, egg, bread crumbs, and salt. Mix well with your hands or a hand mixer until well combined.
  3. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with canola oil.
  4. Form meat into 20-24 small meatballs and place on the baking sheet (If the mixture feels too wet, add some extra breadcrumbs, but this mixture may feel a bit more wet and sticky than a traditional meatball! No worries!).
  5. Baked meatballs for 13-15 minutes, until browned and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Turn meatballs with 5 minutes of cooking time left to avoid burning on the bottoms.
  6. Toss in a bowl with the garlic ginger teriyaki marinade and serve on their own for an appetizer or over rice or cauliflower rice!
Before cooking
Cooked and tossed in sauce

Weight Watchers Freestyle SP: 1 point per meatball with marinade. Points were calculated using the Recipe Builder on the WW app.

Print a copy for your recipe binder!

50 calories per meatball.
Note: Nutrition information may not be exact. Ingredients were estimated and entered using verywellfit.com’s Nutrition Calculator.

Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins

I’m always looking for tasty, healthy, and filling breakfasts, but many things fall short. Granola bars or protein bars are always more Weight Watchers points than I want them to be, and they don’t keep me full. Eggs and nuts are great, but don’t satisfy my morning sweet tooth. That’s why when I made these Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins using Kodiak Cakes Buttermilk Pancake Mix, I was so pleasantly surprised with how delicious they were for only 4 Weight Watchers Freestyle Smartpoints!

Ingredients

2 cups Kodiak Cakes Protein Pancake Power Mix – Buttermilk

2 very ripe bananas

1 egg

1 cup plain almond milk

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp salt

(not pictured: salt)

Directions

  1. Measure 2 cups of the Kodiak Cakes Protein Pancake Power Mix – Buttermilk into a large mixing bowl. Add in the salt.
  2. In a separate mixing bowl, mash up two overripe bananas. Mix in the egg, almond milk, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Mix well to combine. (Add a little extra maple syrup for more sweetness).
  3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and combine. Fold in chocolate chips, saving some to sprinkle on the top of each muffin.
  4. Grease a muffin tin with butter or nonstick spray. Pour batter in, filling each muffin area 3/4 of the way up. Sprinkle the tops with some chocolate chips.
  5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 22-26 minutes. Use the toothpick test to make sure muffins are fully cooked through.
  6. Let cool for 5 minutes in muffin tin. Then, transfer to a wire cooling rack. Wrap individually to eat the next day!
Before
After!
Delicious and moist!

Weight Watchers Freestyle SP: 4 points for one muffin. Points were calculated using the Recipe Builder on the WW app.

Print a copy of this recipe for your recipe binder!

Note: Nutrition information may not be exact. Ingredients were estimated and entered using verywellfit.com’s Nutrition Calculator.

Baked Beef Empanadas

When there is endless college basketball on, you need to have some finger foods ready to go! Check out these awesome (and easy) baked empanadas.  Cut some calories with these delicious snacks that will be gone in seconds.

Ingredients

12 empanada wrappers (I used GOYA)

2 lbs ground beef

1 medium onion

4 tbsp sofrito (I used GOYA)

GOYA Adobo seasoning, to taste

Olive oil

1 egg, whisked, for egg wash

Directions

1 . Coat large skillet with olive oil.  Saute onions and add in ground beef.  Make sure all ground beef is thoroughly cooked through and browned on all sides.

2.  Add in 4 tbsp of sofrito seasoning to coat beef and let simmer.
3.  Generously sprinkle GOYA Adobo seasoning on all of meat and mix in thoroughly.  Add more or less to taste.

4.  Once meat is cooked and seasoned, take an empanada wrapper and fill one half with beef mixture.  Fold it over and press and seal with a fork.
5.  Crack and whisk one egg.  With a pastry brush, coat both sides of each empanada with the egg wash to help it crisp up in the oven.
6.  Baked on an ungreased baking sheet at 375 F for 15-20 minutes, or until empanada wrappers look cooked and crispy.
7.  Serve and enjoy!! 

These seriously went so fast.  Next time, I will definitely make two batches!!

Baked Beef Empanadas

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients
12 empanada wrappers (I used GOYA)
2 lbs ground beef
1 medium onion
4 tbsp sofrito (I used GOYA)
GOYA Adobo seasoning, to taste
Olive oil
1 egg, whisked, for egg wash

Directions
1 . Coat large skillet with olive oil. Saute onions and add in ground beef. Make sure all ground beef is thoroughly cooked through and browned on all sides.
2. Add in 4 tbsp of sofrito seasoning to coat beef and let simmer.
3. Generously sprinkle GOYA Adobo seasoning on all of meat and mix in thoroughly. Add more or less to taste.
4. Once meat is cooked and seasoned, take an empanada wrapper and fill one half with beef mixture. Fold it over and press and seal with a fork.
5. Crack and whisk one egg. With a pastry brush, coat both sides of each empanada with the egg wash to help it crisp up in the oven.
6. Baked on an ungreased baking sheet at 375 F for 15-20 minutes, or until empanada wrappers look cooked and crispy.
7. Serve and enjoy!!

Weight Watcher Freestyle SP: 8 per empanada. Points were calculated using the Recipe Builder on the Weight Watchers app.

Note: Nutrition information may not be exact. Ingredients were estimated and entered using verywellfit.com’s Nutrition Calculator.