Actual wellness coaching client quote: “I cannot get over how amazing this meatloaf is! It will satisfy my pizza cravings.”- Loren, lactation nurse and emerging healing foods lover.
The sound of the word “meatloaf” used to give me the willies. Why? Meatloaf trauma. It evoked brownish green bell peppers, mystery meat mushed together with Wonderbread, Heinz ketchup topping, and the smell of hospital cafeterias. Okay, my dad was a doctor and he actually loved cafeteria food, and proudly brought it home for us, so I clearly have some unresolved issues here. I would have never thought the day would come that meatloaf would become one of my favorite foods in the whole world.
Not only that, but it can be a one pan, balanced meal if, instead of adding bread crumbs or oats (carbs that turn to sugar), you add tons of grated non-starchy (low glycemic) veggies instead. So, you have the added benefit of blood sugar balance, lots of nutrients, protein, and good fats. This meatloaf can also stealthily hide vegetable matter from picky children (and, let’s face it, some adults, too).
I top my meatloaf with ketchup, like every southern gal should, but it’s this super duper yummy (not to mention quick and easy) homemade ketchup. In some ways, the meatloaf is really just a ketchup transportation device. I often think of a big piece of well-seasoned vegetable filled, ketchup-topped meatloaf as a giant square meatball, and who wouldn’t love that?
Give it a go! It’s great for breakfast and even tastes good room temperature or cold, if you’re a heathen like that.
Look at all these nutritious veggies! No mushy gushy Wonderbread crumbs in here…
A handy dandy food processor will help make prep super easy and lickety split. Grating the old fashioned way, by hand also works.
We chose to sauté grated zucchini and carrots, but you can get creative and use whatever veggies you like.
After you sauté the vegges and mix them in with the meat, eggs, and seasoning, you press it into an oiled pan and slather it with homemade ketchup. We like a lot of ketchup, but use however much suits your fancy.
Ta da! Okay… To be honest, we would recommend more ketchup than this, but, again, it’s up to you! See the veggie meaty goodness? Eat a couple pieces and you’ve got a one dish balanced meal!
This Ain’t Yo Mama’s Meatloaf!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 medium zucchinis, grated
- 3 medium carrots, grated
- 2 lbs 100% grass fed beef, turkey or chicken
- 3 pastured eggs (preferably from a local farmer)
- 2 teaspoons high mineral salt, or to taste
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
- 3 tablespoons Italian seasoning (or change it up)
- 1-2 cups homemade ketchup (or shake and baste almost instant BBQ sauce)- amount depending on pan shape and how hard core of a sauce person you are. We're pretty saucy over here!)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Sautée onions in oil until translucent. Add grated vegetables and cook until soft. Press or strain any extra liquid out. Using a strainer over a plate and pressing with a spatula works well. Or, you can try to tilt the pan and mash the veggies with a spatula to drain the liquid. It's a little haphazard but involves fewer dirty dishes.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the cooked veggies and onions with the raw meat and seasoning. When the veggies are cooled enough not to cook the egg, add the eggs and mix everything thoroughly. I like to use my (clean) hands, god forbid. It's a tactile experience and hands really do seem to be the best tool for the job. You can't beat them, really.
- Oil a loaf pan or glass baking dish (or line it with unbleached parchment paper). Transfer mixture into it's baking dish, pat it to make it nice and even, then spread the ketchup (or barbecue sauce) evenly over the top. Cook for 30-45 minutes, depending on depth of pan.
- Deeper = cook longer. The old inserted knife coming out clean trick should tell you when it's done (well, except for the sauce on top) . The loaf also tend to pull away from the side of the pan and brown around the edges.
- Variation: Bake in muffin tins to make little meatloaf muffins. These cook even faster. We actually like to use little silicone cupcake molds. Ah, meatloaf muffins! They're so cute!
Many thanks a whole lot for sharing! I will definitely be back.