Not your Momma's Meatloaf

When I cook, I tend to stick to meals that go lean on the meat and heavy on the vegetables. So, I decided to mix it up a little last week. I sat at my desk and decided, I am going to make a meatloaf. I have a couple recipes, but nothing is over the top good. They all consist of meat, an egg, breadcrumbs, and some range from a package of Lipton soup mix to random spices..but they're all ok, nothing is spectacular that stands out in my mind.

So, off the to internet to find something I could make and write about how much I love it...and I'm glad to report that I found one..but sad to report that I'm a boob who forgot to take a picture of the final product...maybe I was that hungry and too excited to eat to whip out the cell phone and snap the pick!

This recipe is off a great site...www.trainermomma.com. The thing that makes this recipe stand out..go the extra mile and buy good ingredients and the combo of dried mustard, ketchup and brown sugar create an unbelievable topping to this meatloaf as opposed to the normal dumping of a can of tomato sauce!

Here's my ground sirloin from Whole foods mixed in with some fresh parsley and dried herbs..I also liked this recipe because it mixed nice with a large wooden spoon, because let's face it, I hate sticking my hands in and smooshing the meat together..mostly because meat gets stuck in those snazzy wedding rings

Here's the meat mixture in the loaf pan. Next time, I might deviate from my normal meatloaf making habits. Since the word loaf is in the title, I always feel compelled to use my loaf pan. But, the loaf pan keeps the excess fat and grease in the pan and makes it difficult to drain it out. Next time I might try using a jellyroll pan and just forming the loaf on the pan and see how I make out.

Here's a photo of the final product off of http://www.trainermommas.com/ site.

Traditional Meatloaf

(courtesy of http://www.trainermomma.com/)

1 lb lean ground beef (preferably grass fed or organic)

2 slices whole wheat bread, diced very small
2 eggs
¾ cup skim milk
3 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
½ tsp ground sage
½ cup fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
1 cup finely grated zucchini
A teaspoon or so of olive oil to coat the loaf pan
¼ cup ketchup
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp dried mustard

Directions
Pre heat oven to 350

Combine beef, bread, eggs, skim milk, onion powder, garlic powder, sage, parsley, salt, pepper, and zucchini in a large bowl.

Use a pastry brush to paint a thin layer of oil on your loaf pan to be sure that nothing sticks. Transfer the meat mixture into the loaf pan and pop into the oven for 50 minutes.

In the meantime, combine ketchup, brown sugar, and dried mustard in a small bowl.

Once the meatloaf is done, remove from the oven and spoon off any excess grease. Top the meatloaf with the ketchup mixture and place back into the oven for another ten minutes.
Allow meatloaf to cool a bit before slicing. Enjoy!
Makes 8 slices.

Nutritional Analysis
Calories: 197; Total Fat: 9.4g; Saturated Fat: 2.3g; Cholesterol: 80mg; Carbohydrate: 12.2g; Dietary Fiber: 1.3g; Sugars: 7.6g; Protein: 14.2g

Just some notes...

I used 93% lean ground sirloin from Whole Foods. I don't care what anyone says..there is such a difference between the crap meat you buy from the grocery store and the good stuff from Whole Foods.

Also, I toasted the bread before I diced it into tiny pieces..made for easy cutting!

I like a little crunch in my meat loaf...I added in two stalks of celery (chopped). I was going to add green pepper but forgot to grab it.

I paired it with some roasted brussel sprouts and thought it was one hell of a meal. Also...I'm not typically a huge fan of meatloaf leftovers...but I reheated a piece of meatloaf and made a meatloaf sandwich...it was delicious and filling...confession...that was my meal for the next 3 lunches and dinners! Enjoy!