As a rule of thumb, any food shaped like a cupcake is a good idea. These little dinner treats, courtesy of Our Family Eats, pack in the protein and vegetables. They cook up fast and are easy to freeze for later, making your busy weeknights twice as easy. Meatloaf recipes are pretty versatile, so feel free to play around with the vegetable and spice ingredients to make this your own.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup grated carrot
1 teaspoon oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup ketchup, divided
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
2 slices of bread (regular or gluten free), processed into coarse breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce, or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 large eggs
cooking spray
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, carrot, oregano, and garlic. Saute 2 minutes.
3. Combine onion mixture, 1/2 cup ketchup, and remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl. Use your hands to mix well.
4. Spoon meat mixture into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Top each with 2 tablespoons ketchup.
5. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160 degrees. Let stand 5 minutes. Serves 12.
You can serve immediately, or put them into a freezer safe bag. These can be frozen for about 2 months. To serve from frozen, place in the refrigerator the night before to thaw. If you aren’t able to plan ahead, pull them straight from the freezer into the microwave on defrost setting for 3-4 minutes. Then microwave on high for about 3 minutes, or until hot.
Have you tried these meatloaf bites? Tell us below!
Susan Schuman is a working mom with two small kids and a hungry husband. She writes Our Family Eats to share ideas for fun, wholesome meals that anyone can fit into their hectic schedule. You can connect with Susan on Twitter @ourfamilyeats.
