Recipe Rehab: Meatloaf

Posted on May 20th 2010 12:00PM by Tanya Zuckerbrot

Filed Under: Recipe Rehab with Tanya Zuckerbrot, Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements

meatloaf with garnish Tara Donne, Getty Images

In many families, meatloaf is a treasured recipe passed down through the generations. The preparation is simple and the meal tastes great both the day it was cooked and in meatloaf sandwiches the next day. The variations of this dish are many, and some are far better than others. However, the majority of them contain ground beef mixed with milk, eggs and bread crumbs, which creates a meal low in fiber and high in fat (mostly saturated fats due to the high portion of animal products).

For my meatloaf rehab, I will reduce some of the animal products and a lot of the extra fat. I will also sneak in some veggies for added fiber and replace the bread crumbs with oatmeal. Instead of using the full amount of ground beef, I will substitute about half of it with textured vegetable protein (you can usually find this in the baking aisle of your grocery store). Once reconstituted, this soy protein makes a great low-fat substitution for ground beef and it takes on the flavor of whatever it is cooked with. Additionally, I will use the lowest fat beef that I can find -- in my grocery store, it's usually the 95 percent lean beef. By using a good mix of spices to enhance the flavor, you won't miss the meat in this recipe and I hope this rehab will become a favorite in your household.

Ingredients:
7/8 cup water
1 cup dry Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)
1 cup non-fat milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup corn
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon dill weed
3/4 pound lean ground beef

Instructions:
1. In a small saucepan, heat the water until boiling. Remove from the stove top and add the TVP. Set aside to let the granules reconstitute.
2. In a large bowl combine the rest of the ingredients. Add the TVP and mix well.
3. Press into an ungreased loaf pan and bake at 350°F until the internal temperature reads 165°F. This usually takes 50 to 60 minutes.

Serves: 6

Nutrition Content (per serving): 204 calories, 5 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 16 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 22 g protein, 118 mg sodium

If you like the idea of using soy protein, check out my Mexican Lasagna!

Readers, I would love to hear from you! Please send me your favorite fattening recipes that need a RECIPE REHAB! Everything from your mom's meatloaf to your kid's favorite dessert -- let me lighten it up.

Celebrity dietitian and motivational life coach, Tanya Zuckerbrot, author of www.ffactordiet.com and founder of www.skinnyandthecity.com and www.theskinnyondietitians.com has helped thousands of people lose weight and keep it off with her program. Her philosophy? Tanya believes you should never sacrifice taste, even when you're eating healthy foods. Have a recipe in need of rehab? Send us your recipe!

5 Comment

Tags: ground beef, meatloaf, oatmeal, soy protein, tanya-zuckerbrot, textured vegetable protein, tvp

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Mom was Welsh 5-21-2010 @ 7:40AM

CORN!!!! Some veggie!

Corn, dear readers, is starchy grass! It is more closely related to FLOUR, nutritionally, than, say brocolli, a MUCH more-healthy vegetable! We Americans like to think we're eating a vegetable when we stuff our faces with corn, but the fact is, we're just globbing down a bunch of calorie-loaded starch thats long been taboo to the diabetic's diet because of it's effect on blood sugar. Brittains, not by choice, developed a much more healthy taste for different vegetables than we ever did, despite their appetite for potatoes.
If you want to make a "healthier" meatloaf, forget the corn in this recipe and try adding something that isn't starch. ( Forget peas, lima beans and potatoes too, for the same reason)

dgibson4news 5-21-2010 @ 8:14AM

Yes, corn is high in natural sugar and is something to avoid in a healthy recipe. In the rural area where I live, I raise my own sweetcorn, but only have it once in awhile. I've eaten meatloaf with corn in, and usually is whole kernals. BTW, many times, whole kernals of corn just passes through you. We all know that, but don't gross yourself when you see it in your waste. Cows do the same thing!

However, I would suggest usually some shredded carrots. Oatmeal can always replace bread crumbs in meatloaf recipes, and is a very healthy version to any meatloaf.

In the photo, it looks like the meatloaf was topped with a barbecue or ketchup sauce, but was not mentioned in the article. So, any topping would be high in sugar, as well. Thanks for your comments!

ed 5-21-2010 @ 9:06AM

You can actually put anything in it you want, as long as you don't sit there and eat the whole damned 5 pound meatloaf at one sitting....LOL...I know it's difficult to push yourself away from a great meatloaf, but we do what we gotta do.

Miriam 6-24-2010 @ 12:57PM

Since I have a kosher kitchen, I never use milk in a meat loaf. Vegetable broth is a wonderful flavor enhancer and there are neglible calories. You can also use a mixture of tomato juice and water. STring beans, carrots, onion are great for meatloaf. Just roast them slightly before using for a spectacular taste.

michael 8-17-2010 @ 11:38PM

I add campbell's vegetable soup and crackers....bell peppers, onions and get the largest tomato juice i can find and pour it over the meatloaf until it completely covers it like the ocean washing over an island. then it bakes into and down the pan making it very tasty and with it's own healthy sauce.