The Most Delicious, Fool-Proof, Healthy Meatloaf

This Turkey Meatloaf Recipe by Shelley Wiseman for Gourmet Magazine is always a winner. I have made it many times, and regardless of whether it is made exactly-as-written or with a couple errors or substitutions, it always seems to turn out wonderful. Read on for how to make this healthy meatloaf recipe almost effortlessly.

What makes it so delicious is that it is full of flavor and has a tender texture. The tender texture comes from the "panade," which is milk-soaked breadcrumbs (or in my case last night, a mixture of panko, ritz cracker crumbs, and croutons blitzed in a food processor). And the flavor comes from the mixture of vegetables that you would never guess was in there. Onion, garlic, carrots, and mushrooms are cooked down to release some of their moisture and concentrate the flavors, before getting mixed in with the meat. Visibly, these are barely detectable, making this a great recipe for sneaking vegetables in for picky eaters. To make the prepwork for this recipe a little easier, I use a food processor instead of chopping all the vegetables by hand. Not only does this reduce time and dishes, but it gets the veggies to the perfect size (finely chopped instead of diced) to blend with the meat.

Another way this recipe is forgiving is with the meat used. The recipe calls for 1.25 pounds of ground turkey, using a mixture of dark and light meat. However, I have been in a pinch and made this with only 1 pound of meat, only dark or only light, and it has still turned out beautifully. In these cases where I only had 1 pound of meat, I never adjusted the other ingredients to accommodate for the lacking quarter pound of meat; I kept everything the same, and it held together and tasted great.

So, go into this fearlessly! Know that it doesn't have to be perfect, and it will still be good. This recipe is a great source of lean protein from ground turkey and a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals from the vegetables and herbs. The meatloaf in the recipe's picture is served alongside mashed potatoes, steamed green beans, and a small salad. This is a great example of a balanced meal: serving of protein (turkey) + serving of carbohydrate (potatoes) + small serving of fat (pat of butter) + filling half of the

The Diabetes Plate, from the American Diabetes Association, is a good formula for building a balanced meal. Click the image to learn more!

plate with vegetables (green beans and salad). This meatloaf would also be good served with sweet potatoes (carb) and broccoli (veg), or wheat berries (carb) and sautéed winter greens, like kale or collards (veg). If you have any meatloaf leftover, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and reheat by microwaving in a covered dish.