Main Dishes

Meatloaf Florentine

Full of spinach and tomatoes, this meal supplies you with an extra boost in vitamins A and E and several antioxidants. Serve it with orzo rather than potatoes for a nontraditional accompaniment.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 2½ to 3 hours (LOW)
Standing Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
2 egg whites
1 egg
¼ cup fat-free or 1% lowfat milk
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to drain well
1⁄3 cup plain fine-dry breadcrumbs
1⁄3 cup chopped onion
1⁄3 cup chopped softened sun-dried tomatoes, chopped red bell pepper or chopped canned mushrooms
2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
¾ teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1½ pounds 90% lean ground beef or 85% lean fresh ground turkey
2⁄3 cup bottled marinara or favorite pasta sauce
3 tablespoons finely shredded fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

  1. Lightly beat egg whites, egg, milk and tomato paste in large bowl. Stir in spinach, breadcrumbs, onion, tomatoes*, basil, garlic salt, oregano and pepper. Add ground meat and mix (do not overwork meat mixture).
  2. Cut two 16 x 4-inch strips of heavy foil; fold foil strips lengthwise in half. Place foil strips, in a crisscross fashion, in 5- to 7-quart electric slow cooker with strips coming up and over the sides. With damp hands, form ground meat mixture into a 6-inch-round loaf. Place meatloaf in slow cooker on center of foil strips. If necessary, slightly reshape meatloaf so it does not touch side of slow cooker.
  3. Cover and cook on LOW for 2½ to 3 hours or until instant-read thermometer inserted near center reads a least 160° F (for beef) or 165° F (for turkey). Transfer meatloaf to carving board using the foil strips to lift and carry. Loosely cover with foil; let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat pasta sauce in small saucepan.
  4. To serve, cut meatloaf into slices and pass with heated pasta sauce and Parmesan cheese.

* To soften sun-dried tomatoes, place tomatoes in small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand about 3 minutes or until softened. Drain before using.

Per Serving (based on 6 servings w/ beef):
calories: 230; 60 calories from fat
total fat: 7 g; 2.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat
cholesterol: 100 mg
sodium: 590 mg
total carbohydrates: 12 g
fiber: 2 g
sugars: 4 g
protein: 30 g
vitamins: vitamin A (40% DV), vitamin C (25% DV)
minerals: calcium (15% DV), iron (20% DV)
exchanges: 3.5 very lean meat, 0.5 starch,
1 vegetable, 0.5 fat

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