Instead of using breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs, I use an egg as a binder for the meatloaf in this recipe, along with grated Parmesan cheese and finely chopped mushrooms. (Don’t worry, you won’t taste the mushrooms, but they make the meatloaf very moist!) Mushrooms and aged cheeses have something called umami, a pleasant savory taste produced by glutamate and ribonucleotides, which are chemicals that occur naturally in many foods. Umami is subtle and not generally identifiable, but it blends well with other tastes to intensify and enhance flavors. Umami plays an important role in making food taste delicious.
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- 2 pounds ground turkey
- ¾ cup finely chopped mushrooms
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 clove garlic, smashed to a paste
Glaze
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons Swerve confectioners’-style sweetener or equivalent amount of liquid or powdered sweetener
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup tomato sauce, warmed
- 3 cups Mashed Fauxtatoes
- Fresh parsley or oregano, for garnish
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, mix together the ground turkey, mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, ½ cup of tomato sauce, and beaten egg. Season with the poultry seasoning, thyme, and garlic and mix to combine.
- Make the glaze by mixing together the 1 cup of tomato sauce, mustard, sweetener, and onion powder in a small bowl.
- Press the meat mixture into a standard-size 12-well muffin pan, filling each well about three-quarters full. Top each “cupcake” with glaze. Bake for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
- Remove the cupcakes from the pan onto a serving tray. Top each cupcake with a spoonful of tomato sauce, then a dollop of mashed fauxtatoes. (I use a piping bag with a tip for a pretty presentation.) Garnish with fresh parsley or oregano.
- Store extras in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on a rimmed baking sheet in a preheated 350°F oven for 5 minutes or until warmed through.
| Nutrition Facts |
Serving Size 1 |
Nutritional Value Per Serving | Calories 329 kcal Calories from Fat: 117 kcal |
|
% Daily Value*
|
| Total Fat 13 g 37% |
Trans Fat 0.0 g |
carbohydrates 10 g 8% |
Dietary Fiber 2 g 5% |
Protein 42 g 84% |
* Above mentioned %DVs (Percent Daily Values) are based on 2,000 calorie food intake.
DVs (Daily values) may be vary depending upon individuals daily calorie needs. Above nutritional values are estimates and should only be used as a guide for approximation. They are not allfoodchef.com recommendations. Calculations are based on average weight of 194 lbs. and ages of 19 to 50 years. |