Quinoa Meatloaf

If you aren't comfortable replacing all of your ground beef with quinoa, I would highly recommend this recipe for meatloaf...it's about 2/3 beef and 1/3 quinoa and most people can't even tell it's not all meat. The kids usually gag when I serve regular meatloaf but with this dish, they asked for seconds! It's slightly sweet with a wonderful texture from the combination of meat and quinoa. My mouth is watering as I type this. Weird. I don't have a picture yet because let's be honest, meatloaf isn't pretty. I'll add one if I ever get a shot that looks nice :) This recipe makes a medium sized loaf. It is the perfect amount for my family but if you have a large crowd to feed, you might want to double it to make 2 loaves.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked quinoa (I have used leftover quinoa from Quinoa Taco night) or 1/2 cup dry quinoa if it's uncooked
• 3/4 of a pound of ground beef (or ground turkey)
• 1 tsp Olive Oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• 2 TBSP ketchup
• 2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Topping: 2 TBSP packed brown sugar, 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp water

Directions:

• If your quinoa is not already cooked, then measure out 1/2 cup dry quinoa and 1 cup water into a small pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for 12-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• In a pan, heat the Olive Oil over medium-high heat and add the onions. Stir and cook for a few minutes, or until they are softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Mix up the topping in a small bowl and set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix together the uncooked meat, the cooled quinoa, the cooked onions and garlic, and all other remaining ingredients. It is best if you can mix this all together with your hands.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a loaf pan with tinfoil. Fill with the mixture and pour the topping over the entire meatloaf.
• Bake for 50 minutes, making sure the meat is no longer pink and totally cooked. I like to pour a little of the grease out when I remove it from the oven. Let it cool a little before serving because it will be very hot.