I know what you're thinking. "Meatloaf, smeatloaf, double beatloaf, I hate meatloaf!" -A Christmas Story
No? Because every time I hear the word meatloaf I repeatedly say this move line and annoy my husband :)
In all seriousness, meatloaf reminds me of my grandpa Omie. He was the best cook I've ever known (next to my mom of course). I think about him every day since he's passed and our times in the kitchen together. He was a true artist and comic, and would put the cooking shows on TV today to shame. While this wasn't even close to his best "dish" I always remember him throwing a meatloaf dinner together randomly on a week night and it tasting so so good.
This meal is also very simple, easy and nourishing (with the right ingredients). I am all for simple, nourishing recipes these days as a mom. I can't do complicated dishes with long lists of ingredients anymore. My toddler doesn't have that kind of attention span, even with Blippi Official on TV (yes, Debbie, I use screen time to get things done sometimes - judge me).
So here is the recipe, I hope you enjoy!
Meatloaf
(Egg-Free, Gluten Free)
Ingredients
1 lb of grass-fed ground beef (or chicken, or turkey!)
1/4 cup of gluten free breadcrumbs (variation below)
1 tsp of granulated garlic
1 tsp of onion or garlic powder
1/2 tsp of sea salt
2 tbps of organic ketchup (keep that bottle out for topping)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°F
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl using your hands.
Place onto a baking dish (either lined with parchment paper or greased with butter or avocado oil) and shape into loaf.
Squirt extra ketchup on top of loaf for topping (a few extra breadcrumbs if you wish too).
Bake for 40 minutes, then broil at 550°F for 5 minutes.
Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.
Notes/Variations
Great side dishes: roasted red potatoes, sautéed string beans, mashed sweet potatoes or roasted carrots, broccoli and onions.
Throw in the roasted potatoes and/or veggies at the same time as the meatloaf and dinner is done!
Instead of breadcrumbs (normally I never have this in the pantry) I just toast 1 slice of organic sourdough or gluten free bread in the toaster and chop it up!
You can certainly just bake the whole dish for 45 minutes in the oven instead of broiling. I like an extra crispy topping so do this at the end.
Serve with a quick stovetop gravy. I like Simply Organic when I'm in a pinch!
**Please use organic and natural ingredients whenever possible.
With Joy,
Nicole