Morning so far...and more

Got in a good 40-minutes at the gym: half running, half weights. That's two days in a row this week with an estimated 39 points I should earn for my March Madness team by the end of the day. Five of us have signed up for a workout challenge at work for the next month. D has been down and out for the past few days, so we're going to have to hustle to make it up. Ahhh... but the payoff is weight loss and a lower BMI. WOOT!

Got to my desk this morning, Little Bird bought herself and myself a Jamba smoothie. Yum! Which I then dribbled on my blouse. Doh! Fortunately, Nic next to me had her trusty Tide pen. It may be a great day after all. Too bad I forgot my lunch at home. Do'h.

Quiz tonight, Quiz Thursday with a trainee in tow. Tired as I'll be this month, the income will help pay for next month's baking/etc class and my CIA class in May. MmmMmmm.

E-pics came in the mail from JSperos yesterday. Will upload to shutterfly this week and order the Save the Date Postcards. And my cute shoes for the wedding came in last night, too!

Still to do this month, gather addresses. Take art to tattoo guy. Get my bake on at least twice.

Experimented with a recipe from work's health site: Low-fat Lentil Meatballs. Not too bad. I'll have to experiment with the seasonings to get it to my liking. And I think I'd like to try this with lamb and feta. Drool.

Traditional meatballs can be awfully high in fat. By choosing a lean meat to start, extending it with lentils and then baking (not frying) the meatballs, you will cut the fat by 50 percent if not more.

Takes Over 60 minutes
Makes 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth or water 1/3 cup (2 oz/60 g) green, brown or red lentils 12 oz (360 g) lean ground beef, pork or turkey 1 medium onion, minced 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons ketchup 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning herbs pinch crushed fennel seed (optional) 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 cup (1 1/2 oz/50 g) fresh breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat 3 1/2 cups (28 oz/840 g) favorite spaghetti sauce 1 pound (500 g) spaghetti, preferably multi-grain 2-3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves or chopped fresh parsley 1/2 cup (1 oz/30 g) freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

PREPARATION

1.	In a small saucepan, bring broth or water to a boil. Add lentils and bring back to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and set aside for 20 minutes.
2.	Preheat the oven to 375°F (185°C). Line a baking sheet with sides with aluminum foil and set a wire rack on top.
3.	In a large mixing bowl, combine meat, onion, garlic, egg whites, ketchup, Italian herbs, crushed fennel seed (if using), salt and pepper. Drain any liquid from the lentils and add them to the meat mixture. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Add breadcrumbs and mix gently just to blend. Form the mixture into 24 meatballs, each one about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. Set on the wire rack and bake for 20 minutes.
4.	In a deep, heavy skillet or Dutch oven, heat spaghetti sauce. Add the baked meatballs and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in fresh basil or parsley.
5.	Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and place in a large shallow serving dish. Top with the meatballs and sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Source: Healthy Living Kitchens