Whole 30 Meatloaf

Meatloaf is somewhat of a comfort food for me. It ranks nowhere near as high as my mom's lasagna or corn bread, but it was something I remember eating as a child. That's why I decided to give this recipe from Paleo Running Momma a shot.

I loved it! My sons both ate it, as did my husband, but I could tell I enjoyed it more than the rest of the family. Still, this will be a repeat recipe for me when I'm on Whole 30. One prep for at least two meals ... even when I ate 3 pieces in one sitting.

Whole 30 Meatloaf
Ketchup
1/3 cup medjool dates, pitted, soaked in hot water to soften, and drained (use 1/4 cup if you want it less sweet)
6 oz. tomato paste
3 Tbsp. water (in addition to soaking the dates)
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt Meatloaf
2 lbs. lean ground beef
2 eggs
1/3 cup almond flour
3 Tbsp. ketchup
1 small onion or half medium one, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. ghee for cooking onion and garlic
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. mustard
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/4-1/3 cups ketchup

In a food processor, combine all ingredients on high speed until pureed, scraping the sides to incorporate all ingredients evenly. Store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator until ready to use. Leftovers can be refrigerated for 1-2 weeks.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a medium skillet, saute the onion and garlic in the ghee until soft and translucent. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the beef, eggs, almond flour, 3 Tbsp. ketchup, salt, mustard, Italian seasoning and black pepper. Stir in cooked onion and garlic mixture. Mix gently to avoid toughening the loaf.

Gently pat loaf into a greased 9 x 5 pan. Bake 20 minutes. Remove, and spread with remaining 1/4-1/3 cup of ketchup. Return to the oven and make 40-45 minutes until thoroughly cooked. Remove from oven, and let cool 10 minutes. Slice and serve. Makes about 6 servings.