Spaghetti and Meatballs Cooking Light Style

I have to admit I pretty much always buy spaghetti sauce, BUT in the effort to try a new recipe and add more protein to our evening meal (cause we usually have it plain with the only protein coming from cheese), and to also use up a cup of my excess organic onions that are sprouting into green onion trees, I looked up a Spaghetti and Meatball recipe on Cooking Light and made it last night.

Overall, I really liked it and would make it again. The sauce is actually pretty spicy and a little too hot for my girls. My younger dd liked the meat balls the best, but next time I wouldn't put them in the sauce- she likes things separated (and worked hard to wipe the sauce off her meatballs with her napkin.) She likes sauces the most in the family, ironically, but nothing can touch or run into each other. Dh didn't like the runniness of the homemade sauce or the onions. He also likes his meatballs more burnt. (LOL) Anyway, personally, I thought the meatballs were perfectly cooked following the CL directions. I prefer them non-rubbery and non-blackened. But that's just me! :P Elder dd liked the spaghetti with the sauce, but found it spicy and only ate one and a half of the meatballs- though she claimed to like them ok.

In terms of modifications, I did the recipe as is except I didn't mix the sauce into the noodles. (Esp. for younger dd with her desire for sauce on the side.) I guess next time I make these, I'd also cut back on the onion (although it was good to use some up!) and on the red pepper flakes in the sauce for the peeps. A dish of 3/4 cup of the pasta mixture with 1/2 cup sauce, and 3 meatballs will cost you 9 points.

In exercise news, I did end up run-walking on the treadmill before bed yesterday. (Guilt made me work it in, so yeah for having you guys- my exercise consciences!) I taught a step class at lunch today, so I'm 2/2 on the exercise this week. I'll have to keep this streak going.