Paleo Chestnut Meatloaf

Meatloaf has long been a busy-persons go-to for quick and easy dinner options. Unfortunately, meatloaf tends to be known for being insanely dry, kind of bland, and, quite frankly, not all that diversely nutritious on its own.

Since I’m a busy gal myself, I wanted to be able to rely on a good meatloaf recipe for a quick dinner option that’s also equally easy to reheat for a few more meals. I also wanted to keep the “breaded” type texture that most people expect from meatloaf but spruce it up with some hearty and nutrient-packed veggies.

The “bready-ness” of this recipe comes from cooked and shelled chestnuts. But instead of being loaded with grains, chestnuts provide some high quality carbs, fats, and vitamins. The carrots, onions, and mushrooms also give this recipe a wholesome, hearty taste, while providing nutrients like carotene and sulfur.

Not bad for a simple meatloaf, right?!

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Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef (grass fed, if you can get it!)
• 2 large carrots
• 1 pound mushrooms
• 4 ouces cooked and shelled chestnuts (I buy this packaged organic brand)
• 1/2 large onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Steps:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2. Using a food processor, finely grate your onion, carrots, mushrooms, and carrots. (You can also do this the old fashioned way but dicing with a sharp knife, using a grater, or a mandoline.)

3. In a large bowl, place your pound of ground beef and stir to break it apart a bit.

4. Add all your grated carrots, onions, mushrooms, and chestnuts into the ground beef mixture. Stir thoroughly to combine.

5. Season your mixture with the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano. Stir well again.

6. Divide your chestnut meatloaf mixture into two greased mini bread pans (like these). Pack well.

7. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes. These end up being pretty moist (a good thing compared to most meatloaf!) so use a meat thermometer or take the time to cut into them in order to make sure they’re done.

Optional: you can finely grate a few more chestnut onto the top of the meatloaf to give them that “breaded” look and texture that most of us are used to.

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