Most meat loaf is made with breadcrumbs, in order to give it shape and texture. Being a gluten-free eater, and sticking to my healthy roots, I decided to make a light version of a meat loaf, with quinoa. I have packed it full of veggies, along with using a combination of a lean ground beef and ground chicken.
INGREDIENTS:
*Meatloaf*
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb ground chicken
3 stalks of celery (chopped or small diced)
1 Portobello mushroom (finely chopped)
2/3 cup cooked Quinoa
1 egg
4 cloves of garlic (pressed or chopped)
1/2 onion (chopped)
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup Parsley (chopped)
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Fennel
2 tablespoons of tomato paste (to glaze)
*Marble Mash*
2 sweet potatoes
2 Russet potatoes
1 tablespoon coconut oil (or EVOO, Sunflower oil)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
DIRECTIONS:
Peel and cut the potatoes into 1 inch pieces. Add to pot and top with water. Boil for about 25 minutes, on MED/HIGH heat, until potatoes are cooked through. Drain out the water and add in the salt and oil. Roughly mash the potatoes, leaving them a little bit chunky.
In a large bowl, combine all of the meat loaf ingredients, except the additional 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, which we will use for the glaze.
Using your hands, mash the ingredients, until evenly distributed throughout meat mixture.
Place meat in a pan, and shape into loaf. Glaze the top with tomato paste.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Bake the meatloaf for approximately 50 minutes, or until instant read thermometer reads 160 F. Since we are using ground chicken, it is very important that the loaf is cooked all the way through.
Slice and serve with marble mashed potatoes..