Over the weekend when I did my shopping, the ground turkey was on sale so I got a larger package than I actually needed. The idea was that I'd portion it out and freeze the unused bits for the future. Tonight when I started to make meatloaf, however, I decided that I would actually create an entire meal that could be frozen and quickly cooked. We just got a chest freezer, so this is the perfect opportunity to put something in it! The great thing about cooking larger than you usually do is that it doesn't take any extra time than you were already going to spend on dinner (maybe moderately more prep if there are a lot of veggies to process, but not really that much extra effort).
One thing I also try to do almost every time I cook is to clean as I go. One of the best investments you can possibly make in your kitchen is a garbage disposal. This allows you to get rid of organic matter quickly so you can keep the dirty dishes and utensils in the sink to clean later. Make sure to run it frequently. Nothing worse than plugging it full of food to find that it doesn't work (or worse, you break it due to the load!) If you compost, you can simply place these items in a bowl for disposal after dinner. Even if you don't have a garbage disposal, you can save yourself a lot of effort by starting a "garbage bowl." Instead of running back and forth to the trash can, simply place everything you need to discard in a large bowl and only empty it when full or when you are done. This keeps the extra bits off your counter (and your floor) and keeps you close to the action in the kitchen!
When you are done with a dish or utensil, immediately place it in the sink or the dishwasher. One less thing to do for the cleanup afterwards! This keeps the stove-top clear of dirty pots and pans as well. Where you can, reuse pots as long as it is safe to do so. Remember, though, NEVER reuse anything that has contained or cut raw meats without washing it first (best if you run it through the dishwasher to be safe). As you can see in the following recipes, I used the same pan for both the meatloaf veggie mixture and later for the sauteed beets.
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| Turkey Meatloaf with Roasted Beets and Sauteed Beet Greens |
Turkey Meatloaf
Makes enough for 2 loaves (one to eat and one to freeze)
You will need:
- 48 oz (3 pounds) ground turkey
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large onion
- 2 cups mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 4 eggs
- Italian Seasoning (to taste)
- onion powder (to taste)
- garlic powder (to taste)
- 1 small can tomato paste
- 1/3 cup vinegar
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Roughly chop the onion and mushrooms. Dice the garlic.
Heat the coconut oil in a pan and briefly saute the garlic until fragrant.
Add the onions and mushrooms and cook over medium heat (stir frequently!) until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms have softened and released a lot of their juices.
Put this mixture to the side to cool for a few minutes.
In a large bowl, add the eggs and whisk so that the yolk and white are incorporated.
Add the ground turkey and mix together until incorporated. Gently fold in the onion / mushroom mixture.
Add seasonings to taste (Italian seasoning, salt, pepper).
Because we aren't using any "bread" in this, the loaf will be somewhat loose until it is cooked - this is normal.
Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper (NOT WAX PAPER). If you intend to freeze the loaves make sure these pans will fit flat on a shelf in your freezer.
Divide the turkey/veggie mixture evenly between the two pans and form into a loaf shape.
In a small bowl combine the tomato paste, vinegars, onion and garlic powder to taste. Mix until incorporated.
Spread evenly over both loaves (think that you are icing a cake!)
To bake from fresh: place in oven on middle rack and cook until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees (about 1 hour)
To freeze: place loaf in freezer and allow to freeze for at least 12 hours. Once frozen, wrap the loaf tightly with parchment paper and plastic wrap. This should keep for about 4 months in the freezer.
To bake from frozen: Cover loaf with foil. Place frozen loaf into 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 60 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Roasted Beets and Sauteed Beet Greens
I got these beautiful beets from the farmers market last night. They came with the greens, which I have never eaten, so I decided that I would cook them both to go with the meatloaf tonight.
Makes 2 generous side portions
You will need:
- 4 - 5 medium size beets with greens attached
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- salt
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
You should know that beets are DIRTY, especially when they are fresh from the farm, so there will be a lot of washing involved unless you want beets that taste like dirt. (My father says they taste like dirt no matter what, but that's beside the point.)
Cut the greens off the beets, but leave about 1-2 inches of the stalk attached to the root. This gives you a nice handle when you peel the beets, so that you don't get purple beet juice all over your hands!
Wash the beet roots and peel them, then chop off the remaining stalk. At this point you'll want to wash them again just to make sure that all the dirt is removed.
Quarter the beets and place them into a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and lightly salt and toss to coat. Pour this onto a baking pan and place in the oven for 50 - 60 minutes.
Onto the greens! You can cook them at the same time or save them for later.
Remove the leaves from the stalks and set them aside. Wash both thoroughly. Like the root, the greens and stalks can be very dirty as well.
Coarsely chop the stalks and the leaves (but keep separate for now).
Melt coconut oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the stalk and allow to cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Once the stalks are mostly soft, add the greens and allow to wilt for a few minutes more.
Season to taste and serve!
