lamb meatballs (kaftas)

lamb meatballs skewered with sliced sweet mini peppers

I hope to get a good start this year by trying out new ideas and flavors for healthier meals. I was pleased to find ground lamb from the grocery the other day. I immediately thought about Mediterranean or Moroccan cuisine and the spices that they use. My research led me to the McCormick website and I was happy to find a recipe for Moroccan lamb meatballs which looked very promising. I also like that these meatballs were baked instead of fried, reducing not just the time spent in front of the stove but the extra calories as well. The recipe, created by Chef Cat Cora, was exactly what I was looking for. Here are pictures of the dish below.

We enjoyed the combination of flavors, cumin, cinnamon, ginger and allspice. The sesame seeds were evenly toasted and added texture and nutty flavor. The creamy yogurt dip or dressing had the same spices but I added more ground ginger, used hot sauce instead of harissa and lemon juice instead of orange juice.