Paleo Meatloaf

We have been working until dinner, so dinner has been a bag salad.  yum.  not.

I have been craving meatloaf for some reason.  But that is not on my diet of no carbs.  I made some baked chicken tenders using almond meal and wondered if that could be used in a meat loaf.  A little 'net surfing showed that not only was it possible, but it moved regular meat loaf into the Paleo diet category.  Not that we eat Paleo, but if I wanted to, I could eat this meatloaf.

Here is a quote from Wikipedia   " Centered on commonly available modern foods, the "contemporary" Paleolithic diet consists mainly of fish, grass-fed pasture raised meats, eggs, vegetables, fruit, fungi, roots, and nuts, and excludes grains, legumes, dairy products, refined salt, refined sugar, and processed oils.^[1][" 

So instead of adding bread crumbs, or my favorite addition, oatmeal, I used almond flour.  I found mine in Trader Joe's.  It did taste a bit different, but it was still good and fit my diet and WASN'T another salad, so I liked it!

I made mine with mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes, like I really wanted.  I saved some of the sautéed onions and garlic for that recipe.  If you are not making mashed SOMETHING you can put it all in the meatloaf, or use a bit less.

Meatloaf with Almond Flour

1 onion
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
EVOO
If you like roasted garlic in things, add a few heads of garlic
1 pound ground beef
1 egg
1 can tomato sauce, divided use
1/2 cup almond meal

dash salt and pepper (s&p)
dash cayenne
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon chili powder



These are the spices and flavorings I used.  My meatloaf is different every time I make it, depending on my mood and what is in my pantry.  If there are things you like in a meatloaf, feel free to use them instead.

  

Preheat the oven to 350.  Spray a loaf pan and set aside.

  

If you are making mashed cauliflower and want to make some roasted garlic to add to it, take a few heads of garlic and peel off all the loose skin.  Cut off the tops. 

  

Place them on a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to wrap around them and drizzle olive oil (EVOO) on top.  Sprinkle with s&p and wrap tightly.  Set aside.

  

Dice a large onion and cook it in some more EVOO until it is softened and translucent.  Add the minced garlic, s&p and cook for one minute more.  Set aside and allow to cool.

  

Place the egg in a large mixing bowl.  Whip it a few times with a fork.  Add 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce.  (I am using this instead of ketchup.  Avoiding sugar.)  Then add all the spices and the parsley.  Use my suggestions or what you like to use.  Stir to mix. 

  

Add the ground beef to the mix and blend with the same fork.  Add most of the cooked onion and garlic, reserving about 1/4 for the cauliflower. Add the almond flour.  Mix all that in.

  

Place the meat mixture in the prepared pan.  I have always used ketchup on top of meatloaf in the past, but decided to use the rest of the tomato sauce to cover the meat.  Then bake for one hour.  Place the foil wrapped garlic in next to the meatloaf and let it cook for the same hour.

  

Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15 or 20 minutes.  Don't forget to remove the garlic bundle.

Cole Slaw

I had some purchased shredded slaw in the refrigerator.  I made a quick dressing for two servings by placing

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon Splenda...OK it's not Paleo, but it isn't sugar!
dash salt

in a bowl and stirring.  Add to the shredded cabbage in a medium serving bowl, mix and return to the fridge for the flavors to mellow and mix while you finish dinner.

I have given the recipe for mashed cauliflower before, but basically you chop it into little flowerets and steam.  Then mash with butter, cream and the onion/garlic mixture with some salt and pepper. By this time the roasted garlic will have cooled enough to open the foil and squeeze out the creamy brown cloves of deliciousness.  Squeeze them right into the cauliflower and mix them in.

  

Just so you know, this will not taste like creamy garlic mashed potatoes.  It can't.  But Lee likes it and it is as close as I will get to mashed potatoes until after my high school reunion, OK?  I may not lose weight, but I refuse to GAIN weight for the reunion!

I don't usually make this much food for just the two of us, but it will make for great leftovers when I don't feel like cooking after a long day in the basement..