Turkey and Veggie Loaf

Turkey and Veggie Loaf
adapted from Southern Living Magazine

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup Roasted Red Plum Tomato Sauce or your favorite tomato sauce, divided
• 2 lbs ground turkey
• 10 oz box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
• 1/2 cup uncooked regular oats
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute for about 3 minutes. Add the carrots to the mixture and cook until the onion and carrots are soft, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

2. In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup tomato sauce, turkey, spinach, oats, seasonings, egg and the onion mixture. Mix together until well combined. I find it the easiest to use clean hands to combine this loaf mixture, as long as the onion mixture is cool enough to handle.

3. Shape into a loaf or two. This can be made into one large loaf or I divide into two loafs and freeze one. Place loaf on a baking rack in a boiler tray or a baking pan coated with olive oil spray.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce on top and bake for 10-15 minutes more or until a thermometer inserted at the thickest part registers 155 degrees. After removing from oven, cover loosely with foil and let it sit for 10 minutes.

5. Serve with Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Potatoes and your favorite green vegetable and Enjoy!

Great Freezer Meal: Once the loaf mixture is mixed up and before it is baked, I divide in half and wrap one of the halves in foil and then put it in a freezer bag to freeze. I pull the loaf out of the freezer the night before I want to bake it and let it thaw in the refrigerator. Follow the baking instructions above.

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This post is linked to:

• $5 Dinner Challenge
• Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
• Real Food Wedneday at Kelly the Kitchen Kop
• Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum
• Fight Back Friday at Food Renegade