“There is power in numbers.” Google this phrase and you will see results covering everything from MLK speeches to Egyptian uprisings to Biblical references. In my little piece of the world, it mostly means FEED A LOT OF PEOPLE.
I created this recipe a couple years ago to bring to a family who had adopted 11 children. That’s a lot of people around one table! And a lot of pressure on Mom and Dad to produce nutritious meals every day. As usual, I think food should be colourful as well as full of nutrition. If you can pack lots of veggies into food, all the better.
To make this meatloaf gluten free and low carb, the binder is not bread as usual, but rather portobello mushrooms. But your non-mushroom-lovers will never know that they are there, since the mushrooms are chopped finely before being sautéed. I used my Xyliss chopper, but a food processor would work just as well.
These little loaf pans are from my childhood. Mom used them for personal loaves of bread, but they are the perfect size for a single serving of meatloaf. Since this recipe serves about 20 people, I use a variety of pans.
Sautée all the finely chopped vegetables in coconut oil until they are tender, and save all the liquid that accumulates.
In a very large bowl combine the meats, veggies, eggs, barbecue sauce, and seasonings. It’s easiest to mix with your hands – go ahead! It’s a bit messy, but fun!
My mother – the ultimate thrift store shopper – picked up some cute little silicon bundt pans. These mini meatloaves baked in only 30 minutes.
I have to laugh at how this plate turned out – kind of like a freaky face…
If you use regular loaf pans, line them with aluminium foil, fill with the meatloaf mixture, and freeze. Then you can pull it out of the pan, and put in a freezer bag.
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Confetti Meatloaf – Gluten Free
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 20 1x
Description
Make ahead to feed a small army, or to freeze for future meals.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds lean ground beef
- 3 pounds ground pork
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
- 2 diced large onions
- 5 diced carrots
- 4 diced stalks of celery
- 8 ounce package portobello mushrooms, finely chopped
- Additional veggies – rutabaga, parsnips, turnips – finely diced
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 8 cloves garlic, chopped
- 5 eggs
- 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 Tbsp fennel seed, crushed
- 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes, crushed
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
Instructions
- In a large fry pan over medium heat, sauté the carrots, onions, celery, mushrooms, (rutabaga, parsnips, turnips) and garlic
- In a very large bowl, combine the meats, vegetables and accumulated liquids, tomatoes, barbecue sauce, eggs, and seasonings
- Once everything is mixed well, put into pans
- Bake at 375 degrees to an internal temperature of 160 – this may take 30 minutes for a small meatloaf, to 1 1/2 hours for a full-sized frozen one
Notes
Add lots of veggies in a sneaky way!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
