Cindy’s Holiday Soup

Ingredients:

1 Medium sized whole chicken (cheap fatty kind-not Perdue!)
1 celery stalk, diced (2 carbs)
8-10 fresh spinach or escarole leaves (1 carb)
1/4 c. Parmesan/Romano cheese (1-2 carbs)
1/4 c. parsley
Garlic powder, salt, pepper to taste
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 c. onion, diced (3 carbs)
6 eggs (4 carbs)
1 tsp. baking powder (2)

Chicken soup -- Boil chicken with celery and onion (salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste).  Transfer the chicken & veggies and strain the broth if necessary.  Remove bones and tear into bite sized pieces.

Spinach -- Wash leaves and remove hard stems.  Boil in water until tender. Drain, then cut into thin strips.  (Extra can be frozen for later.)

Meatballs -- Mix 1 egg, garlic powder, 1/8 c. parsley, salt, pepper and 1/8 c. cheese with meat.  (You can add 1/8 c. dry bread crumbs for easier handling if you like, but add 10 carbs to the pot's grand total).  Shape 50/60 marble sized meatballs and brown in skillet.  Drain.

Egg Sponges -- Blend 4 or 5 eggs with remaining cheese, parsley and baking powder.  Add a little water for more volume.  Pour in small cookie sheet (use PAM first), bake at around 250-300 degrees until firm and lightly browned. Cut into thin strips to form 1/4" squares.

Putting it together:

Bring the broth to a boil (add water as needed--about 8 cups).  If broth is not "chickeny" enough, add a few bouillon cubes or canned stock for flavour. Add chicken, spinach, meatballs, and sponges back into broth and simmer. Top with additional cheese if desired and enjoy.

NOTE: I've adapted this recipe from my mother-in-law's speciality--Italian wedding soup.  It may look a bit strange to those who have never tried it (because of the spinach and little floating egg sponges), but it is absolutely delicious! Even my kids beg me for it--to me that says a lot!  Best of all, I figure it comes to about 15-20 carbs FOR THE ENTIRE POT!!