Meatballs with Roasted Asparagus and Tomato Sauce

I created this dish in the hopes that it would satisfy my pasta craving. While the asparagus isn't really a substitute for noodles, it was a delicious side dish I would have again and again.

Meatballs

Ingredients:
6 oz. ground chicken breast
1 slice of 40 calorie (or less) bread
Seasoning to taste (I used Italian seasoning, garlic powder, black pepper, and a pinch of sea salt)
Dash of Tabasco sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F.

In a food processor, pulse grind the slice of bread into fine breadcrumbs. Add to a mixing bowl. Place meat, seasoning, and Tabasco sauce in bowl with breadcrumbs. Combine all ingredients well.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Taking small handfuls of the meat mixture, roll between your hands to the size of a ping pong ball. Will make about 12 meatballs.

Bake at 400 F for approximately 20 minutes. Top with tomato sauce (recipe to follow).

Serves 1
Recipe for Meta-Slim Plus - Level 2


Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients:
1 lb. asparagus spears, trimmed
Olive oil cooking spray
Dash of sea salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 F. (I used a toaster oven for this.)

After trimming the asparagus of the woody ends, place on cookie sheet (a pizza pan will also work). Spray lightly with olive oil cooking spray. Add a touch of sea salt.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes. Stir the asparagus around the pan midway through baking. Top with tomato sauce (recipe to follow).

Serves 2, Serving Size = 2 oz.
Recipe for Meta-Slim Plus - Level 2


Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
5 Roma tomatoes
Seasoning to taste (I used Italian seasoning, garlic powder, black pepper, and a pinch of sea salt)

Directions:
Make an X shaped slit on one end of each tomato. Place tomatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and boil for approximately 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, drain, and rinse with cold water. Once cool enough to handle, peel skin from each tomato and remove the stem core from the end of each. Place each peeled tomato in a food processor with seasonings. Pulse grind to smooth consistency.

Add to a pan and heat through.

Serves 3, Serving Size = 2 oz.
Recipe for Meta-Slim Plus - Level 2

** Update: If anyone happens to be on the MRC plan, I just learned that you can't cook the tomatoes as it increases the sugar content. As a substitute, you could dice the tomatoes to eat with the meatballs and asparagus (about 4 oz.). **