Turkey-Veggie Meatloaf with Carrot Couscous

I have never really had a taste for meatloaf. I always found it fairly bland and pointless. But I had a taste of a Central Market recipe for meatloaf and found a new love. Of course I have modified it quite a bit from the original, like I do with all my recipes.

Ingredients
1 lb. lean ground turkey (the leanest available)
½ medium onion, minced
½ red bell pepper, minced
3 small organic carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
4 crimini mushrooms, finely chopped
1 zucchini, grated
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon each thyme and oregano

¼ cup Italian parsely, finely chopped
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 eggs
1½ teaspoons black pepper and salt

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Ketchup (organic, or at least one without high fructose corn syrup* in it), for the topping

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix everything together well—except for the ketchup—in a large bowl. Divide the meatloaf mixture in half and put each half in two loaf baking pans. Top both with ketchup. Bake for 1 hour.

12 servings; approx. 85 calories/serving, 3.2g fat, 5.5g carb., 0.9g protein

* a note about high fructose corn syrup (or HFCS): food with HFCS, I have found, does not taste as good a stuff made with sugar. I also personally feel that it creates a dramatic rise in blood sugar as compared with other, more natural, unprocessed sugars or Splenda. There are many articles online for and against it, but I, for one, stand very much against HFCS.

Carrot Couscous

This recipe is based on one of Jessica Seinfeld's recipes in her excellent book, Deceptively Delicious.

Ingredients

1 cup whole-wheat couscous

½ cup carrot puree

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan

½ cup (or more) warm water

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for about 2 minutes. Stir and judge for yourself if the couscous needs more water or more time.

To learn how to make carrot puree, visit my Guide to Purees.

8 servings; approx. 94 calories/serving, 0.8g fat, 0.7g carb., 0.2g protein