BUDGET BEEF MEATLOAF WITH SKINNY SCALLOPED POTATOES

CURRENTLY BEING UPDATED; PERMALINK LATER THIS WEEK

Meatloaf - American comfort food - makes a terrific wallet-friendly meal for family dinners and it helps when both Waitrose & M&S are offering specials on mince this week.

Skinny Meatloaf with easy-peasy Tomato Sauce 
and low-fat Scalloped Potatoes, French Style

updated 6 Oct; 1st posted 24 March 2015

Easy to put together, prepared in advance, this recipe is also skinner - lower in fat and cholesterol .

Both high-end grocers M&S & Waitrose are offering beef mince specials, either 750g or 500g. Waitrose's is 15% fat at £4.66, 1/3 off down from £7 while M&S is 20%fat at £4.25 for 500g.  20% fat mince is fine for this recipe BUT the meatloaf will release a lot of fat so you must  carefully pour most of it off once the meatloaf is cooked and before serving.

For even fewer calories - but higher cost - replace beef with minced turkey.

500g/17.6oz mince makes a meatloaf large enough for 4, with leftovers for sandwiches.

This recipe gives a very light, moist, soft and meaty loaf.  You don't taste the mustard, onion, garlic & Worcestershire but it gives an incredible boost to the flavour.  The addition of oatmeal, not breadcrumbs, adds fibre and makes the loaf even better for you.  

It comes with its own rich and savoury sauce.  Teamed with French style scalloped potatoes, it a mouthwatering, satisfying substantial meal.  

Want to make it go further still?  Whole boiled eggs in the centre 'a la Nigella' provide pretty slices and extra portions.  

Cost: £5.00'ish for meatloaf; around £7 for the meal (Oct 25)
Serves: 4-6

Ingred:

500g/17.6oz minced beef or turkey
1 mug diced yellow onion or fennel
2 garlic cloves, grated  (opt)
2-3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tbsp tomato puree (low-salt if you have salt issues)
2 med handfuls oatmeal 

 

          1 large raw egg 

        3 tbsp water or stock

1/2 to 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper

          3 small soft-boiled eggs, cool (opt)

1/4-1/2 cup tomato ketchup,mixed with (optional) 1tsp sugar, Worcester sauce and a couple of dashes of hot sauce OR LOW-SUGAR HOMEMADE KETCHUP

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 160c, 320F, 140 fan, gas mark 3.
2. Line bottom of loaf pan (9x5 in/23x15 cm) with a strip of greaseproof paper; leaving enough overhang to help release it from the tin when cooked
3. Coarsely process onions/fennel or dice finely; fry over med heat in 1 tsp olive oil until translucent. Cool
4. Peel eggs; leave whole
5. Blend garlic, Worcestershire, mustard and tomato puree in a bowl 
6. Add to turkey mince with onions; using a fork, mix lightly but thoroughly. Add oatmeal; toss with a fork.  Add one large egg and water/stock; mix well; add 1/2 - 1 tsp salt and 1/2-1 tsp pepper
7. Put just over half of the mince in the pan; if using hard boiuled eggs, arrange in a straight line down the middle.  Cover with the rest of the mince; with a light touch forming a rounded loaf shape.
8. Pour half the ketchup mix over the top, reserving the rest for topping up as it comes out of the oven  
9. Put a container of water in the bottom of the oven or air-fryer (important; keeps meat moist).  
10. Bake one hour 15 mins; inner temperature should be 70 degrees C.
11. Rest 15 minutes; use a serrated knife to slice.
12. Serve alongside Scalloped Potatoes, French style and frozen peas.

Please leave a Comment in the box below

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

PACKED LUNCHES FOR GROWN-UPS, make ahead

Turn ho-hum packed lunches into Glory Hallelujah!

Some of this material has appeared elsewhere in the blog

Lunchbox Slaw: Healthy, high-fibre make-ahead salad that's Incredibly good for you and sog-free.  'Lovely crunchy salad.' Taster

Back at work but struggling without access to your favourite local cafe or sandwich bar?  Plan ahead and make your own...

67goingon50 is quite a fan of packed lunches.  For one thing, they're much healthier for you.  For another, you can save quite a bit of money bringing food from home

But your packed lunch has got to be good.  No point making all that effort and feeding it to the birds on the way home.  


WHAT MAKES A GOOD ADULT PACKED LUNCH? 

Hearty, healthy, satisfying adult packed lunches is down to planning and variety, not necessarily skill.

You want something colourful and tasty. Something with contrasts in texture and flavour.  Usually, though not always, something low-fat and cholesterol, low salt, low sugar and if using carbs, either high in fibre or moderate in portion.  

A packed lunch should be attractive and occasionally include something unexpected, exciting.  But definitely not anything that leaves you feeling heavy and sleepy.

VARIETY

...is the key.  

:ALMOST-INSTANT PORTABLE SALADS

Any one of these 4 almost-instant salads adds a terrific burst of colour and flavour at 'lunch al desko'

Avocado, Beetroot & Radish Salad: vegan, bursting with vitamins & minerals 

3-minute Asparagus, Pea & Corn Salad  creamy low-fat easy

Calamari Rice salad: break the salmon/cod habit 

Tropical Chicken Salad: banishes that 'leftovers again?!' feeling

This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission. 

EDITORIAL: CORONAVIRUS, POLITICS & THE MEDIA

67goingon50 has avoided commenting on Coronavirus recently because the situation has become so fraught, it's difficult to work out what's true and what people would like to be true.  

Yes, the Government has made mistakes and many people have suffered because of them.  But mistakes are inevitable in these unprecedented times and problems have been dealt with incredibly quickly under the circumstances -- albeit ably assisted by the military.  Show me any other political party or group that would have done better.  

I am so glad Lockdown is on the way out.  I think it has driven the media and critics of the government completely mad.  I think many people have lost their judgment and are behaving disgracefully and out of proportion to events.  

People have (conveniently?) forgotten that governments around the world have been working flat out for months trying to sort out the Corona-crisis.  That ministers and officials are exhausted, and there is little relief in store for months more.  And then in the Autumn it will likely start all over again.  

In the UK, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson was hospitalised and nearly died.  Many senior cabinet members had bouts of Covid 19.  They are all apparently 'recovered' but evidence shows that effects of Covid can linger much longer than expected.  Where is the compassion and understanding from the public?

Yes, we get that they're angry but to be frothing like wild beasts?  I repeat, the Government is working flat out.  Everyone else has had the government-subsided leisure to watch, criticise and take pot-shots - and more - at their favourite enemies.  And try to create new ones.

As for Dominic Cummings.  Is there anyone else who has had to deal not only with trying to sort out the effects of an unknown virus at its most terrifying peak but also the unreasoning hatred of fervent anti-Dom-terrorists?  Who became so afraid to leave his wife and son alone in a home under siege that he sought sanctuary for them 200+ miles north of London? 

The press has told so many lies, I am astonished.  But somehow, by now, not surprised.   I consider Journalism a noble profession.  What we have seen this week is the whining, whinging petulant behaviour of demanding toddlers throwing a tantrum.  Not a good look.



Have a look at this tweet from Jay Beecher:

''The tribalism, hate, fake outrage, double standards, political point-scoring, hasassment, divisiveness and media bias currently plaguing British politics and society in general, is completely destroying this once great country.''

67goingon50 hopes it's not true but begins to fear that it will be.