Recipe of the week

I love to cook, especially now that I actually have a little time and energy to do it! It took me a good two months to get back into the habit of cooking dinner after Afton was born. I have been trying to cook a little healthier and add in as many vegetables as possible. So here is my recipe of the week. It's a family favorite and will probably be cooked in our home for a VERY long time. Neither Chad or I liked meatloaf very much but this recipe changed our minds. Ground turkey makes it a little lighter than ground beef and the spinach keeps it moist.

I got this recipe from the Cook Yourself Thin Cookbook. This is definitely a cookbook you should go out and buy. There are a lot of really good recipes in here.

Mini Turkey Meatloaf with roasted root vegetables

Serves 4
Calories per serving, meatloaves: 227
Calories per serving, roasted root veggies: 121

For the meatloaves
1 slice whole-wheat bread
1/2 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
5-ounce bag baby spinach leaves
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

For the glaze
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce

For the roasted root veggies
3 large carrots, cut on the bias
2 Yukon Gold potatoes, cut on the bias
1/4 cup asparagus (about 4 stalks)
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon chopped chives
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange oven racks to accommodate two dishes being cooked simultaneously.

2. Grind the bread in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Transfer to a large bowl, and pour milk over crumbs.

3. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 5 minutes. Add spinach, and stir until just wilted, about 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl with soaked crumbs. Add the turkey, cheese, egg, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Combine the mixture with your hands until well mixed; it will be quite wet.

4. Pack 1 cup of the mixture into a 1-cup dry measuring cup. Invert the cup onto a rimmed baking sheet, gently shaking the cup to release the mixture. Gently pat the mound to smooth its shape. Repeat three times with remaining mixture. Bake mini meatloaves until cooked through and golden, about 40 minutes.

5. While the meatloaves are cooking, make the glaze: In a small bowl combine the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Brush over meatloaves.

6. To make the roasted root vegetables: On a baking sheet, toss all the vegetables in the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Add to the oven along with the meatloaves and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring midway through baking. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh herbs.

Note: I add zucchini to the veggies and they are to die for! Zucchini is my new favorite vegetable. I don't know why I went to long without it...