One of the dilemmas I had early on in my low carb journey was what to use in place of bread crumbs in my meatloaf. I tried a variety of things like ground flax, almond flour, etc. Then one day I decided to see if I might be able to get the same or similar results using shredded cheese instead of breading. Well...it didn't only give me similar results...it gave me AMAZING results! I have made Mexican style meatloaf for many, many years and used to use taco seasoning. Even though I have a delicious taco seasoning mix, I decided to simplify this meatloaf even further. It uses just a few spices, fresh salsa and shredded pepper-jack cheese. How easy is that? The fresh salsa serves two purposes; it adds moisture to keep it moist as well as contains onions and peppers so I don't have to chop those up separately to add. The cheese not only adds flavor and a spicy little kick, but it serves as the binder to help keep the loaf together. I can literally mix it together in the time that it takes my oven to preheat. I made roasted asparagus to go along with my meatloaf (tossed in olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and black pepper). For the "guys" who aren't low carb, I made mashed red potatoes and steamed peas to add to their plates. The meatloaf turned out delicious and flavorful as usual and I had plenty of food leftover so I could send my son home with a couple more meals, too! For dessert, I had a few fresh strawberries that I picked up at the store this afternoon. They were unusually beautiful (from Florida). My easy peasy meatloaf recipe is below as well as a few photos. Enjoy!
 |
| Before baking |
 |
| The few ingredients that go into the meatloaf (along with cheese) |
 |
| Drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper...ready to be roasted |
 |
| Dessert |
Mexican Style Meatloaf - Low Carb
Ingredients:
2-1/2 pounds ground beef (I used ground sirloin)
1 cup fresh salsa (found in the refrigerated section)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
Black pepper, to taste
3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
3/4 teaspoon roasted ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper, or to taste
1 cup shredded pepper-jack cheese (I used Cabot)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Transfer to a 2-1/2 to 3 quart baking dish. Bake for approximately 1 hour 10 minutes or until done. Let meatloaf sit for about 10 minutes for cheese to set. Slice and serve.
8 comments:
That is a gorgeous meatloaf! I can't wait to try your recipe.
Thanks Candace...hope you enjoy it! :-)
Looks Great - how many serving and do you have the nutrient values (protein, carbs) etc.
I can't wait to try this. Is there a problem with it being "runny" from the moisture of the cooked beef with no breadcrumbs to absorb?
Hi Anaktty,
I hope you enjoy it. No, I have never had my meatloaf turn out runny. It just stays nice, moist and flavorful. Honestly, it's one of the best that I've had. :-)
Hi Anonymous,
It serves 6-8 nice sized servings. The nutritional information will vary based on the type of meat you use (percentage of fat, etc.) and the size serving you eat. I tend to eat smaller portions for lunch than I do at dinner time. :-)
I actually made a large one of these several years ago for a couple's anniversary that were low carbing instead of a cake. I made it thinner and spelled out "Happy Birthday" in bell pepper strips. Needless to say it was quite a hit and no one complained about not having a cake at the party!
This recipe has become my go to recipe for meatloaf. Everyone in my family loves it! It's pretty much the only low carb recipe that I have found that the whole family loves. The only thing I change is that I use the meatloaf mix ( combo of ground pork,beef and veal).
Post a Comment