The Best Turkey Meatloaf Ever

the best turkey meatloaf ever

The Best Turkey Meatloaf Ever

When I first started Weight Watchers before my son was born I fell in love with making meatloaf from ground turkey. While I heard complaints about ground turkey being too dry and not as good as ground beef I was determined to make a tasty and healthy version of one of my favorites.

With a few additional ingredients to my original meatloaf recipe I created a delicious meal that I make over and over again. It truly is the best turkey meatloaf ever! I cheat a little and use the Trader Joe’s frozen fire roasted onions and peppers. Then I chop them up into smaller pieces. I think that the juices from the cooked veggies really add more flavor to the whole meal.

The best part is how versatile it is. While I always include the ingredients below I sometimes add extra veggies or different cheese to the mix to change it up. Well… and to clean out the fridge. Grated zucchini is probably the best addition to this recipe. But make sure to squeeze out all of the excess liquid first before adding it.

If you’re looking for a great way to incorporate veggies into you meal without having to pile on an extra serving, this is a great way to do it! Now I just wish my kids would start to gobble it up as much as my husband and I do. We think they might be warming up to it though.

The Best Turkey Meatloaf Ever
Ingredients
  • 1 1/4 pound lean ground turkey
  • 1/2 cup onions and peppers, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup swiss cheese (any type would work)
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Saute onions and peppers in a nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Set aside to cool slightly.
  3. Grab a small cup or bowl and mix together ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar. Set aside to top meatloaf later.
  4. Place ground turkey in a large bowl, add sauteed veggies, egg, Worcestershire sauce, herbs, panko, swiss cheese, salt and pepper. Mix together well until everything is incorporated.
  5. Grab a loaf pan and add meat mixture to the pan forming a round dome on top. Cook for 40-45 minutes.
  6. Take meatloaf out of the oven and top with a thin layer of the ketchup mixture. Place back in the oven and cook for another 15 minutes or until fully cooked and the inside reads 160 degrees.
  7. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Serves 5, 2 slices = 1 serving at 6 WW points

Crockpot Salsa Chicken {Dinner Recipe}

Crockpot Salsa Chicken 1

I absolutely LOVE easy crock pot recipes that can be turn into multiple meals throughout the week. And this crock pot salsa chicken is just that.

Simple ingredients, simple instructions, simple meals… but you don’t have to keep the meals simple. Shred this chicken and use it in multiple dishes: enchilada casserole, chicken (tortilla) soup, quesadillas, rolled tacos, chicken ropa vieja (my favorite) and more!

And with a fridge full of yumy salsa from Wholly salsa how could I not make this? I used their mild salsa for this dish but am excited to try changing up the flavors with the pineapple or red pepper mango flavors too.  [Read more…]

Sausage & Kale Soup

Sausage and Kale Soup

In an effort to go green and become a bit more eco-friendly we’ve started an organic garden at home. We’ve also been very diligent about choosing a new and unique veggie to take home from the farmer’s market in an effort to teach our kids about eating healthy. One of the vegetables we picked up this week was kale. I’ve heard amazing things about it’s super green, vitamin rich goodness but honestly have never cooked with it before.

So I attempted to make kale chips as a healthy alternative to potato chips for my family. I had heard rave reviews from a few of my friends and just had to try them. What a mistake that was! Burnt to a crisp or so bitter I couldn’t swallow. I threw out the whole batch and was dreading watching the other bunch of kale we had picked.

Until I remembered a friend mentioning using kale in her soups. And then I thought of the sausage and potato soup they serve at the Olive Garden. The light in my head went on and I knew what dinner was going to be! Not only did I get some veggies into our meal, the kids enjoyed it! This soup is simple, easy, and comes together quick. The perfect way to relax in the cool, crisp spring air after enjoying the farmer’s market.

Sausage & Kale Soup

  • 2 sausage links
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 carrots, coined
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1 can navy beans, rinsed
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups water
  • 4 cups of kale, stems removed, torn into small pieces
  • salt & pepper to taste

Saute the sausage in a large pot or dutch oven. Once slightly browned, remove from pan and set aside.

Add olive oil to the pan. Once heated, add onions and carrots to the pot and saute until translucent and tender. Sprinkle flour over the veggies and saute for a minute longer.

Pour chicken stock and water into the pot and add sausage back in. Add the beans and let simmer for 20 minutes, or until all of the flavors are incorporated. Add kale and season with salt and pepper to taste and cook for another 5 minutes.

Serve with some fresh-baked bread or your favorite salad for a wonderful and tasty meal in under 30 minutes.

Baked Eggplant Parmesan {Dinner Recipe}

Eggplant Parmesan

I’m always looking for a great meatless meal. Lately I’ve been turning to one of my favorite blogs, Ezra Pound Cake, for meatless inspiration. I just recently decided to try her baked eggplant parmesan but knew I wouldn’t need as much so I tweaked the recipe a bit to meet our needs. And boy was I happy I made this! The dish was delicious, healthy, and the kids loved it!

If you’re looking for a great Sunday evening dish or even something to prep and freeze for meals later on in the week or month then I highly recommend trying this dish out. It sure beats the Trader Joe’s dish I’ve been buying (and you all know how much I love Trader Joe’s)! [Read more…]



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