For some reason, my childhood never once saw a meatloaf.  This is probably due to my mother never entirely loving them, as well as the fact that she was much more of a cook than simply throwing things into a baking dish and calling it a meal.  Despite all of this, meatloaf still remains one of the greatest convenient foods to this day.  Therefore, I knew it would be great it I could create a recipe that those on an Autoimmune approach to Paleo could enjoy.  I do not believe that healing diets need to seem impossible, hard, and frustrating, which is why I set out to always include some easy dishes that can be made regardless of how much energy or time you have.  After receiving December’s addition of the Paleo Magazine, my mom decided to break her streak of never making a meatloaf, and make the recipe that was included in the magazine.  When my father came home from work and asked “what is for dinner,” he seemed a bit shocked when my mother told him, “meatloaf.”  However, the results of this once loathed dish came out incredible, completely changing how everyone in my family viewed meatloaf.  That being said, I knew that my version now had a recipe it must “one up,” if it was ever going to get eaten by my family.  All in all, not only was my meatloaf a hit, but the entire dish got eaten in one night.  Though it was my dad who exclaimed “I could eat the whole thing,” it was really everyone in the family that thoroughly enjoyed the dinner.  Not only that, but there are a few hidden vegetables, both of which my younger brother claims he hates.  Therefore, this recipe marks the second dish that I have gotten past his “sweet potato radar,” along with my Salmon Fish Chowder – 2 points for me!

Italian Meatloaf

Print Recipe

(Serves 4-6)
Ingredients

• 1 lb ground grass-fed beef
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup canned sweet potato puree 
• 1/2 cup green plantain puree (from 1 plantain)
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp ground thyme
• 1 tsp ground rosemary
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 batch of my AIP Pesto Sauce

Process 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Peel and puree plantain until smooth in a food processor fitted with the “S” blade.
• Add in canned sweet potato, letting run until fully combined.
• In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine ground beef, herbs, garlic, onion, and sea salt.
• Add in pureed vegetables, mixing together until fully incorporated.
• Squish meat into a loaf pan.
• On a lined baking sheet, flip the loaf pan over, allowing the meatloaf to invert on the sheet.
• Place meatloaf on baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes.
• Remove from oven and pour pesto sauce over, placing back in the oven to cook for another 5 minutes.
• Once finished, take meatloaf out of the oven, slicing to desired thickness and serve with extra pesto sauce.

Recipe Notes

If you do not have canned sweet potato puree on hand, simply boil or steam 2 oz peeled sweet potato until fork tender, pureeing in a food processor until smooth or mashing with a potato masher.
Canned pumpkin or butternut squash can also replace the sweet potato.