Meatloaf is a classic comfort food. We’ve created a version that is filled with fibrous veggies, high-quality protein, and perfect spice, plus it’s loaded with flavor that will have you repeating this recipe all year long. This turkey meatloaf is perfect for sneaking extra veggies into your kid’s meals and for meal prepping.
Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark
We’ve used half light turkey, half dark in this version. The dark meat is higher in fat, something that scares many people off. We know at clean how important fat is in the diet, but also that dark meat comes with higher levels of certain nutrients. Dark meat contains more iron, zinc, and vitamins B-12 and B-6 (to name a few) than white meat. We think the combination of white and dark meat creates the perfect, balanced texture and flavor for this turkey loaf.
Turkey is a rich source of protein and also high in many minerals and vitamins. We know that eating protein with each meal is beneficial for satiation and slowing the release of sugar into the bloodstream. Creating steady blood sugar helps ensure a consistent mood, energy, and prevents insulin spikes from happening too often, which can lead to metabolic issues. Turkey is rich in selenium, which is important for thyroid and metabolic health. Specifically, selenium helps the body convert T4 to T3 (this is how activation of the thyroid hormone happens). Selenium also helps protect the thyroid from oxidative damage.
Veggies for Added Fiber
We’ve purposely added loads of veggies to this turkey loaf for increased nutrition in a tasty way that will trick even your pickiest of eaters. We’ve cooked the carrots, celery, onions, and garlic in rich ghee and fragrant spices. This adds a whole layer of buttery flavor and increases the moisture level of the loaf for a perfect dish every time. Carrots are an incredible source of vitamin A, an antioxidant that improves eye health and creates a healthy glow. Celery is known to lower cholesterol, decrease inflammation, and help with liver detoxification. Celery and garlic both have antimicrobial benefits, so they are beneficial in warding off illness.
Using healthy fats like olive and ghee give this dish amplified moisture, flavor, and nutrition. Ghee is a form of clarified butter, meaning often individuals with sensitivity to dairy can eat it with no digestive issues. It also has a slew of vitamins intact that you won’t find in traditional, commercially produced butter. Olive oil is rich in good-for-you monounsaturated fats, high in antioxidants, and helps lower disease-causing inflammation throughout the body.
Ingredients:
3 large carrots
3 stalks celery
1/2 yellow onion
2 pounds ground turkey (preferably a mix of light and dark)
3-5 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons ghee or olive oil
1 tablespoon coconut aminos
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
2 tablespoon ground flax seed
1/2 cup hot, filtered water
fresh parsley for topping
Optional: sugar-free ketchup for dipping (if not cleansing)
Directions:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make flaxseed egg. Place flaxseed in a small bowl. Add 1/2 cup hot water, whisk thoroughly, and cover. Let sit while you prepare other ingredients, stirring occasionally to re-combine until a gel-like texture forms (usually takes about twenty minutes).
Step 2: Prepare vegetables. After cleaning and removing stems, place celery, carrots, onion, and garlic into a food processor. Pulse until evenly chopped.
Step 3: Add vegetables and ghee or olive oil to a pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent and vegetables are soft.
Step 4: Add vegetables, meat, spices, coconut aminos, and flax-seed mixture to a large bowl. Combine thoroughly.
Step 5: Place mixture into a greased, parchment-lined 9×5 pan. Bake for 75 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve with ketchup or fresh parsley, if desired.
Recipe and photography by Kaitlyn Noble
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