Week-in-Review & Low-Carb Italian Meatloaf

Well, this week nearly kicked my butt with crazy work hours.  My only workouts this week were sand volleyball Sunday and Thursday, and a very quick interval run at the gym, yesterday. However I can report that as of today (end of week 2), I'm down 7.5 lbs.

We'd been having some very Spring-like weather - storming one day, warm and sunny the next (hey! The clover and dandelions are growing where grass should be!).  So, I spent way more than planned on a yard crew to prep my lawn - seeding and aerating, plus all the hoses and sprinklers and timers I bought to keep those seeds damp and happy in the yard, I decided that this weeks' meal plan needed to feature what I already had in my freezer/pantry to try to make up a few dollars.

I had bought ground beef and Italian sausage that I was going to make into a squash lasagna, but never did.  So I thought I'd instead make an italian themed meatloaf since it's half Italian pork sausage, and because I happened to have some Classico Tomato & Basil pasta sauce in the pantry.  I could have found a lower-carb pasta sauce (Hunts makes a no-sugar added one that's pretty low), but this has small enough quantities in it, and it's already pretty low (6 g net per 1/2 cup). Just know you could cut part of a carb per serving out by choosing a lower-carb sauce.  

So now that I have all that equipment to water the grass seed, of course it's now raining for the 4th day in a row.  But that means its a pretty good day to hide in the kitchen and cook. I'll be serving the meatloaf with a salad made from a mix of chard, kale and spring greens - just to make sure to offset this high-fat; high-protein entree and power up with some good antioxidants, and chard happens to have an antioxidant that helps to regulate blood sugar. Double-low-carb bonus!  (Nutrition for the meatloaf to the left).

Ingredients:

• 1 lb 85/15 ground beef
• 1 lb Italian pork sausage
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 60 g chopped yellow onion
• 50 g chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup almond meal
• 1/2 cup Classico tomato & basil pasta sauce (divided in 2)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray,  or else line with easy-cleanup foil
3. Mix all ingredients except 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce by hand - careful not to compact too much.
4. Pat the loaf evenly into the pan, being careful not to compact too much
5. Top with the remaining sauce
6. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes
7. Remove the foil, turn up the heat to 400° and bake another 15 minutes  - if you wanted to, it might be good to sprinkle on some grated parmesan just before you put it back in.  I wanted to, but was out :( 
   
8. Ensure the internal temperature has reached at least 145° - it will continue to cook a bit after you take it out of the oven and will likely reach 150-155° or so. (I know FDA recommends ground beef to 160°, but in my opinion, any more on the meatloaf dries it out too much and overcooks it).  Let cool at least 15 minutes before trying so serve (be sure to pour off the fat that will have pooled up around the outside).
9. Serves 6.