Creativity for Relaxation and a Healthier Meatloaf

What are you doing this weekend? It’s a common question around the office on Friday. I ask the question many times myself, sometimes you get some interesting answers, other times you wish you hadn’t asked the question.  So…what are you doing this weekend?

Me?  I have a weekend filled with nothing but whatever I want to do. I’m really looking forward to it; I haven’t had a weekend quite like that in a while.  I hope to read, do a little experimental cooking/baking and work on some artwork that I started a while back but never really finished. I’m shooting for a weekend of creativity. Being creative really fuels my spirit and relaxes me.  This will be a no stress allowed weekend.

Giving myself more sleep each night this week has really paid off in my energy level and my brain fog tendency.  I have been more awake and productive all week, I have actually been able to work through some market analysis that I have been putting off because I couldn’t reason through it well enough.  I finished it yesterday and tackled another one today, yay!

I was thinking about all of the good things I have eaten over the last couple of months (there have been some epic fail recipes too) and thought maybe this weekend I would try to post a couple of the recipes that made my husband say “we have to make this one again”.  Today I thought I would share my turkey/chicken meatloaf recipe.  I know, it sounds weird, but it’s really good.  For those of you that love meatloaf and find it comforting, this is a little bit healthier way to have it.  My husband loves this; I always make enough for lunches and another meal.

Chicken-Turkey Meatloaf

(This makes 2 loaves, enough to freeze for other meals)

1 lb. ground chicken breast

1 lb. ground turkey (I get the leanest I can find)

2 large carrots

2 celery stalks

1 large onion

3 cloves garlic

½ T olive oil

3-4 slices of bread; ground for fresh breadcrumbs (I use my GF bread)

3 T Worcestershire sauce

1 T soy sauce (I use a GF one)

3 T ketchup

1 T yellow mustard

½ T powdered garlic

½ T oregano

(Here is where you insert the spices you like, these are my preference)

1-2 T ketchup (for the outside of the meatloaf)

1.      Preheat a skillet over medium heat with olive oil

2.      Put the carrots, celery, onion and garlic in a food processor and let it to until everything is finely chopped and drop into preheated skillet, add a little bit of salt and cook until veggies are soft, not browned, set aside in a bowl to cool

3.      Preheat oven to 375 degrees

4.      Put all of the ingredients into a large bowl and mix well, be careful not to overdo it or the meat will be tough.  You need to check to see if it is binding well here, if not add one more slice of bread

5.      Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray

6.      Divide the mixture in half and make two loaves on the baking sheet being careful to ensure that they are similar in size and thickness (this helps with cooking time)

7.      Spread additional ketchup on top of the loaves and put in the oven

8.      Bake for approximately and hour, check for doneness with a thermometer (remember, this is poultry)

9.      When the meatloaves are done remove from the oven, tent with foil and let sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing.  Leave one of the loaves intact and freeze whole for another meal.