Breakfast Meatballs

As I've said before I'm not one to eat breakfast. I don't wake up hungry and the thought of food nauseates me most days until about noon. However, as a diabetic I really need to eat something when I get up. It helps get my metabolism revved for the day and it helps control the Dawn Phenomenon and Somogyi Effect, both of which give me grief. The problem is: what to eat?

Eggs don't normally appeal to me in the morning and toast, waffles, and pancakes are too high in carbohydrates for me. Now and then I'll eat non-breakfast foods such as leftovers from the night before or a turkey dog and some cheese. So, my standards on the days I manage to choke down breakfast are egg, sausage and cheese "muffins" or two or three of these delicious breakfast meatballs, each of which contains less than 1 gram of carbohydrate.

Breakfast Meatballs

1 pound turkey sausage (I use homemade but store bought is great, too)
1 pound lean ground beef
2 eggs
3 Tablespoons onion, minced (reconstituted dried onion works well)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (omit if you want mild meatballs)
5 ounces cheese, grated (use whatever kind you prefer - I like to mix cheddar, swiss, and a little asiago)
salt, pepper, and other spices to taste

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine all ingredients spices in a bowl and mix well. Roll meat mixture into bite sized balls and bake until done, 15 to 20 minutes.

These freeze well so after baking them I put them in the fridge to cool then put a few in a freezer bag or plastic container, label with the date and contents, and freeze. When ready to use them, I just heat them in a 350 oven for about 25 minutes or microwave them on high for about 4 minutes.

These are a great take along snack and as a bonus, most kids love them. Uncooked, this also makes a nice stuffing for peppers, squash, mushrooms, etc. Just fill your vegetables with the meat mixture and bake until done.