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Hi guys!
Welcome to Throwback Thursday!
This week I’m cooking a delicious, healthy take on a family favorite…
MEATLOAF!
Don’t get me wrong…I LOOOOOVE regular meatloaf.
But it’s not exactly figure friendly.
Breadcrumbs, full fat ground beef, whole eggs…you get the gist.
So imagine my delight when I came across a recipe for Turkey & Quinoa Meatloaf in my new ‘Love It, Cook It, Eat It’ cookbook by Weight Watchers!
(you can find the recipe here)
I’ll admit I was a little unsure of the ingredients at first.
(think cooked quinoa and shredded zucchini)
But from my first bite I knew this was a ‘must share’!
So without further ado, I bring you…
Turkey & Quinoa Meatloaf
You start by cooking up some quinoa according to package directions.
(I used the tricolor quinoa from Trader Joe’s)
Once it’s done cooking, allow it to cool quite a bit. Otherwise, you will burn your hands during the mixing process.
(Trust me…I speak from experience!)
While your quinoa is cooking, shred up some zucchini.
(I like to use my cheese grater- it makes for very fine shreds that my kids never even know are there!)
Be sure to squeeze out the excess water from your zucchini or your meatloaf might never set!
Finely dice your red onion, chop your parsley, and separate your eggs.
(Remember mise en place* is important!)
In a large bowl, combine the zucchini, egg whites, onion, parsley, seasonings, and half of your chili sauce or ketchup.
Add your turkey and quinoa and mix well.
(Again, be SURE the quinoa is cool!)
Once everything is mixed well together, transfer to your baking sheet and shape into a loaf.
(I have a large family , so I tripled the recipe and just spread it into a rimmed baking sheet. It was easier for me than molding a monstrous meatloaf!)
Brush remaining chili sauce/ketchup onto your meatloaf.
Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165 degrees F.
(This is usually around 50-55 minutes depending on the size of your loaf)
Let stand 5 minutes then slice and serve!
Eat and enjoy!
We served our meatloaf with baked sweet potatoes and green beans!
Yummy! 🙂
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Recipe Review
We were definitely surprised by how much we enjoyed this delicious meatloaf! The zucchini and quinoa help keep it moist, even when using turkey which usually dries out easily.
Final family rating?
5 thumbs up!
We will most definitely be making this again!
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Until next time…may the fork be with you!
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Notes: Make sure you use freshly ground turkey, if possible. Walmart was out and I had to buy the ground turkey in rolls (chub packs) and it really affected the texture.
*mise en place is french for ‘everything in it’s place‘.
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Take the flavors of Thanksgiving and combine them into a meatloaf to get this recipe for delicious and moist turkey meatloaf with cranberry sauce.