Classic Asian Twist

If you are like me- you grew up on a classic style meatloaf. The tomato based sauce (Ahem..ketchup) always brings me back to the days of my Mom’s cooking. Admittedly- she cooks about a hanful of dishes; some of which included; Spaghetti, Meatloaf, Homemade Potato Chips, Fried Grands Biscuits with (canned) Chili and Cheddar Cheese (Side Note: My mother is a true Southern Belle, born and raised in Lousiville, Kentucky. Yes, we had a deep fryer in the kitchen..and her name is Paula.) and my ultimate favorite–TO THIS DAY: Egg Potato something or other. I actually doesn’t have a name, but the potatoes are fried, too. And, I eat it with Ketchup. Okay- bringing it on back to present day. Since childhood, I have adored the comfort of meatloaf and all things that go with it. While it can be a calorie-laden King of comforts- you can most definitley put the twist of healthy on it to demote it to the Joker of the King’s Calorie palace. Simple steps include but are not limited to:

Switch up the protein: Use lean ground beef, turkey or chicken breast (be careful and know what you are getting with the ground poultry! Click here for further reading.) Or, add some black beans and use less meat.
Low sodium seasonings and sauces
Load up with the vegetables!
Use egg whites and whole wheat bread crumbs for the binding agent
Use natural sweeteners (like the fruit used in this recipe)

My husband’s favorite (and probably MY favorite, too) is the original BBQ Meatloaf (found here.) This Asian twist comes in at a close second, for sure. Even our friends that came for dinner the night I made it gobbled it up. Did I mention that one individual of a clean plate has a diet that consists of absolutely no vegetables, fish sticks, and macaroni (from the blue box). I have also successfully gotten him to eat sweet potato fries and my homemade Black Bean Veggie burger. Not too sure if it is beacuse he is a little bit scared of me, or of it is because he really likes it!! Probably both. But I don’t mind that

Pineapple Teriyaki Meatloaf

INGREDIENTS:

Sauce:

1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened crushed pineapple
1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Meatloaf:
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
3 green onions, chopped
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons unsweetened crushed pineapple
3/4 pound lean ground beef
3/4 pound lean ground turkey breast
3 slices unsweetened pineapple

DIRECTIONS:
In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, pineapple, ginger, garlic and sesame oil; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the egg white, bread crumbs, onions, garlic powder, pepper, crushed pineapple and 3 tablespoons reserved ketchup mixture. Add beef and turkey over mixture and mix well with your hands. Pour mixture into baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Shape into a large loaf. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Removed from oven and top with remaining reserved teriyaki sauce. Arrange slices of pineapple over top of loaf. Return to oven and heat for another 15 minutes, or until sauce is bubbly. Remove from oven and allow to rest 5-8 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information:

Serves 6

Calories: 257

Fat: 9 g

Carbohydrate: 17 g

Fiber: 0.5 g

Protein: 27 g