Italian Style Turkey Meatloaf

My thoughts are with those affected by Hurricane Irma. It is hard to imagine the devastation these recent hurricanes have caused. I also couldn’t proceed as usual without noting the significance of today, September 11th. Even 16 years later, the weight on my heart is no lighter for those that were killed during the attacks and the heroes that gave the ultimate sacrifice helping to protect and serve our country.

And with the blink of eye, Monday is back!  The good news is I have a recipe that will help you ease into a week of cooking simple and healthy dinners…starting with Meatloaf Monday! (I am taking all the credit for coming up with that one on my own.)

Although I am no longer a student (and haven’t been for about 6 years now, sigh) I still get a little excited about the “back to school” season. It feels like a fresh start and a great way to get back into the swing of things after slipping out of routines or traveling over the summer. Back to school = back to reality. With that in mind, my thoughts are on easy weeknight meals to help with those hectic hours between after school and bedtime.

Italian Style Meatloaf will leave your whole family satisfied with only a little bit of prep time for the chef. The good news is you can prepare the loaf (Travis loves that word) the night before, the morning of, or an hour before you are ready to chow.

This recipe wasn’t originally “Paleo” but was easy to modify without sacrificing the flavor one bit. I actually first got it from a mom I used to nanny for, and it was at the very beginning of my cooking “career.” The fact that she made it so quickly and easily one evening while I was playing with the kiddos, and then seeing her young boys devour it later made me think that it was something I could probably handle. I made it at home soon after and my observations held true: it was a cinch to make and a crowd pleaser to boot.  I now make this meatloaf frequently and it never disappoints! (Side note: It is a great dish to bring to a new mom or a friend in need of a healthy, home-cooked meal!)

I love pulling out my tried and true recipes from years ago!

Aside from the ease of making it and the delicious taste, I love how many veggies I can “sneak” in without anyone being the wiser. Now, you might wonder why I am sneaking veggies into anything since I don’t have a picky child to worry about…but I do have a husband. Although he will eat his veggies, it usually isn’t without a little complaining. It’s just much less of a struggle when he doesn’t even know they’re there!

Let’s get down to it!

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs of ground turkey (I know it’s an awkward amount, but it just works)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1 10 oz package of frozen spinach
• 1 medium zucchini, shredded
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 1 cup marinara/tomato sauce

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°
2. In a skillet, sauce the diced onion until slightly browned 
3. In a medium sized bowl, combine eggs, lemon juice, spices, and almond flour and stir well.
4. In a large bowl, place turkey, onion, spinach, and shredded veggies. Add the egg mixture to the large bowl and get ready to get your hands dirty! 
5. Combine all ingredients well, without “overworking” the meat.
6. Using a 9×13 pan, shape meat into a loaf right down the center 
7. Pour the cup of spaghetti sauce over the loaf.
8. Place in the oven and bake, uncovered, for 1 hour. 

It might not be beautiful, but it sure is tasty, filling, and packed with healthy goodness! You can only hope there are leftovers for lunch the next day…it reheats beautifully!

Hope this tasty meal helps with the chaos of busy back-to-reality nights!

Print

Italian Style Turkey Meatloaf

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Total Time

1 hr 10 mins

 

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 8

Author: Maggie Kibler

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs ground turkey
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1 10 oz package of frozen spinach thawed, strained
• 1 medium zucchini shredded
• 1 medium carrot shredded
• 1 cup marinara/tomato sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°
2. In a skillet, sauce the diced onion until slightly browned
3. In a medium sized bowl, combine eggs, lemon juice, spices, and almond flour and stir well.

4. In a large bowl, place turkey, onion, spinach, and shredded veggies. Add the egg mixture to the large bowl. 

5. Combine all ingredients well, without "overworking" the meat.
6. Using a 9x13 pan, shape meat into a loaf right down the center

7. Pour the cup of marinara sauce over the loaf.

8. Place in the oven and bake, uncovered, for 1 hour.