Farmers Market Meatloaf

Loaded with colorful vegetables, ground turkey and insanely rich flavors like garlic, Worcestershire sauce, extra sharp cheddar cheese and fresh herbs, it’s hard to believe that this classic comfort food dish is actually good for you. I packed these mini meatloaves with a great balance of lean protein, fat and fiber rich carbohydrates to help you burn fat, build lean muscle, boost your energy and satisfy your need for easy comfort food. There’s room for a little more carbs so feel free to serve with your favorite veggie on the side. 

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Ingredients:
Fat free cooking spray
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and grated on a cheese grater
½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed and chopped
½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper 
3 large garlic cloves, finely minced
3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp. tomato paste (I use all natural)
93% fat free ground turkey (I’m not a fan of ground turkey with less than 7% fat)
2 egg whites
1 heaping cup of shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs or instant oats (If using oats, use instant)
1 handful of spinach leaves or baby kale, chopped 
Ketchup (I use all natural)
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Spray pan generously with fat free cooking spray.

2. Once pan is hot, add onion, celery, carrot, red bell pepper and fresh thyme. Sauté for approximately 8 minutes or until soft. Add salt and plenty of fresh ground black pepper (we’re over seasoning a bit to flavor the turkey too). Lower heat to medium and add garlic. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes. Scrape the veggie mixture into a large bowl and let cool until room temperature. In the meantime, spray a large sheet pan with fat free cooking spray.

3. Once veggie mixture is cooled, add turkey, egg whites, cheddar cheese, oatmeal and kale into the bowl and mix gently with hands until just combined (don’t over mix). Shape into 10 oval patties and arrange on sheet pan. Spread about 1 teaspoon of ketchup on each meatloaf. Bake for about 28 minutes or so until cooked throughout. Remove from heat and garnish with fresh parsley. Enjoy!