So I’ve started a boot camp. No, no… I haven’t joined the Marines (gasp!), but i have found that whatever I’m doing/eating… even triathlon training has got me in the slump of all slumps. I needed something to kick myself into gear- and I think a personal trainer will be JUST the trick I need to get the rest of this wretched weight off!
With the addition of yet ANOTHER activity into my life, I’m finding I need to get even MORE creative in the kitchen to make sure I continue to eat healthy throughout the week.
I had originally planned on making a turkey meatloaf this evening, but alas, Wednesday night personal training took us all the way ’til after 7 tonight. Hungry and tired, the last thing I wanted was to wait an hour to eat! (not including the prep time, which I should have done in advanced!)
My solution? Meatloaf muffins! I had seen Rachael Ray make these a while back and thought it would be the perfect (and quick!) dinner on the run. Here’s my healthy low cal version.
Here’s the recipe:
2 pounds of ground turkey (or chicken)
1 medium onion, diced
1 egg (or 1/4 cup of plain yogurt)
2 celery ribs, diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach leaves
1 small bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup squeezable tomato sauce (like the squeezable pizza sauce- check ingredients though… buy with low sodium and no added fructose corn syrup!)
1 slice sesame Ezekiel bread, toasted and crumbled (small dice)
1 tbsp. sea salt
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
non-stick cooking spray
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix seasonings, egg, and tomato sauce into the ground meat. Add bread crumbs and gently fold in. Add all veggies and gently fold in. (You don’t want to over-work your loaf, so handle as little as possible).
2. Using an ice cream scooper, place scoops of meat loaf mixture into greased muffin (or cupcake) pans.
3. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink (if you’re using chicken/turkey!).
Yields 6 muffin sized; 8 cupcake sized
Enjoy!
I love the muffin idea Steph! I'm gonna try it the next time I make my meatloaf… Wanna hear what I put in my meatloaf? I use 1 pound ground chicken and 1 pound ground pork. then I add my spices, which consist of salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder, parsley flakes and 1 pkg lipton onion soup mix. Then I put in 1 scrambled egg, 1/4 cup juice (I like cranberry juice but you can use whatever you want)then I squeeze a tablespoon size of ketchup and a teaspoon size of mustard in it. One top of all that I take crumbled up cheez-its or bread crumbs, and add it til the loaf is the desired consitency I want it. I mix it with my hands! Very gooey but it works wonders 🙂 The end result usually turns out really good… Just ask my daughter 😛
Sounds flavorful!! Yeah, I love the muffins- even cooking, no slicing, no dry parts! =)