Italian-Style Meatloaf
This delicious meatloaf adds the nutritious value of veggies and seeds while cooking in a Crock-Pot or slow cooker for maximum moistness retention - and ease!
Equipment
- Crock-Pot or Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 can (14.5 oz) Italian-style stewed tomatoes drained and chopped
- ¾ cup finely ground chia, flax or sunflower seeds
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped zucchini
- ½ cup canned chopped roasted red bell pepper drained
- 1 egg beaten
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper or to taste
- 1 ½ lb Grass-fed lean ground beef or ground chicken or turkey
- ⅓ cup snipped fresh Italian parsley
- Nonstick cooking spray
- ½ cup reduced-sugar or all-natural ketchup
- 2 Tbsp reduced-sodium Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine all ingredients through black pepper. Add ground beef and half of the parsley. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.
- Coat a 4-quart slow cooker or Crock-Pot with cooking spray. Cut three double-thick 18x3 inch heavy duty foil strips. Crisscross strips in bottom of prepared cooker and coat with cooking spray. Place meat mixture on top of strips in cooker and pat into an oval or round loaf. Cover and cook on low 3½ hours or on high 1½ hours.
- If using low, turn to high. In a small bowl combine ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and vinegar; pour over meatloaf. Cover and cook 30-45 minutes longer or until a thermometer registers 165°F.
- Using foil strips, carefully lift meatloaf out of cooker; remove foil strips. Sprinkle meatloaf with remaining parsley. Let stand, covered, 15 minutes before serving.