STRIPED TURKEY MEATLOAF, Low-fat, Healthy, wallet friendly

Meatloaf that's low-fat, good for you AND pretty.  And makes fab sandwiches!

Striped Turkey Meatloaf: healthy, pretty & makes great sandwiches

'Strong meaty taste; grand light spicing. The sandwiches were excellent!'  Taster

Meatloaf served as a main course or in sandwiches is savoury, filling and wallet-friendly.  Usually made with beef and pork, however, it can be high in fat.     

Use minced turkey or chicken thigh, replace breadcrumbs with oatmeal and meatloaf becomes both healthy and tasty.  The optional vegetable layers adds vitamins as well as layers of texture. 

Turkey has the lowest protein/fat ratio of all meats.  It can be gentle in flavour but careful additions add interest.  The texture is excellent, moist and meaty, but try to get the best you can afford. 

It's important to use a light hand mixing the meat to keep the loaf light in texture.  That will make it perfect for kids and the ill and infirm who aren't keen on chewing dense protein.  It also makes wonderful sandwiches.  

This recipe uses a family pack of turkey mince (750 gms instead of 500gm) to provide plenty of leftovers for sandwiches.

You'll need a loaf tin 4 1/2 x8 1/2 inches with a depth of 2 1/2 inches/11 x 21 cm with a depth of 5 1/2 cm or equiv

Cost: £4.00'ish
Serves: a meal for 4 plus 6 well-filled sandwiches 

Meatloaf Sarnies for a
Desktop picnic 

Ingred:
3/4 kilo/750 gr minced turkey thigh
2 cups yellow onion, finely diced or processed
3 med garlic cloves, grated or crushed
3-4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp tomato puree (low-salt if you have salt issues)
1/2 to 3/4 cups (3 handsful) oatmeal
2 small raw eggs
3 tbsp water or stock
1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper

40gm mushrooms thickly sliced 
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 recipe Marinated Peppers (opt)


1/4-1/2 cup LOW-SUGAR HOMEMADE KETCHUP OR
1/2 cup strained passata  OR low-sugar ketchup

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 160c, 320F, 140 fan, gas mark 3.
2. Fry onions in 1 tbsp olive oil until translucent; cool
3. Cook mushrooms lightly in butter & lemon juice; set aside
4. Add onions to the turkey mince with the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and tomato puree.  Mix with a fork, using a light hand but making sure everything is well blended.
5. Add oatmeal and stir again with a fork.
6. Beat eggs and mix with water/stock; mix into meat mixture
7. Add 1/2-1 tsp salt and 3/4-1 tsp pepper
8. Line bottom of bread tin with a strip of greaseproof paper
9. Layer about 1/3 of the meat mix in the bottom, smoothing with a spatula; cover with strips of pepper, if using
10. Repeat with a second layer of mince then a layer of mushrooms
11. Pat the rest of the mince on top 
12. Cover the top with a good layer of ketchup or strained passata.
13. Put a container of water at the bottom of the oven to keep meat moist.
14. Bake in the centre of the oven one hour; remove from oven and place a baking tray over the top.  Wearing thick oven cloves, quickly flip it over so the meatloaf slides out top side down. Cook a further half hour, allowing bottom and sides to brown.  Meatloaf is ready when inner temperature is 70c 
15. Rest for 15 minutes; serve with tomato layer on top; slice 

If making sandwiches:

• use good bread sliced thinly; butter to the edges
• line one slice with rinsed & dried lettuce (if not organic soak in a solution of 9 parts water and 1 part vinegar for 5 mins)
• spread a dob of yoghurt-mayonnaise with chopped chives into the well of the lettuce; don't fill it too full
• add one thickish slice meatloaf, trapping the mayo between the lettuce and the meat; cover with 2nd slice bread 
• serve with cucumber and baby tomatoes

Tips:

• you can freeze meatloaf sandwiches but don't use mayo, which separates in the freezer; keep it simple, i.e. bread, butter, meatloaf maybe mustard; once defrosted, add salad & mayo 
• make home-made bread in the same tin so that the meatloaf slices fit perfectly; the one in the photo is breakfast soda bread with sunflower seeds but without the fruit
• for a smaller meatloaf, try Skinnier Meatloaf with or without the boiled eggs

Comments:

'Strong meaty taste made you feel you'd eaten a proper meal; the light spicing was grand.  Excellent sandwiches and a novel way to eat turkey.' Middle-aged Taster  
'Utterly delicious.' Mature housewife
'Very good.' Retired political activist   

                          For moreturkey recipes go to Navigation Bar/Recipes

Like this? Hate it? Comments or questions, pls email b67goingon50@yahoo.co.uk 

This recipe  has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.