Gluten Free Turkey Meatloaf

I'm not a fan of red meat. I used to not eat red meat period. The thought of it just grossed me out. Then I passed out one time in the grocery store (it wasn't even a Publix it was a Kroger. I know, the horror.) So after a brief stint in the emergency room I was told I was severely anemic despite taking iron pills every day. That ended the "I don't eat red meat" phase real quick. (Stick with me people- I've got stories for days. We're a very entertaining family.)  

I've learned that when my body needs red meat (aka I'm running low on iron) it tells me. All of a sudden I'll want a hamburger or a steak so I'll eat one... then the next day I'm repulsed by it. I've learned to listen to what my body wants and it's worked to my benefit. Who knew if you're craving something it's because your body actually needs it? If you have the same attitude as the E.R. doctor your response is: "everyone." 

Note: I am NOT saying because you want that bag of candy you've been hiding in the top cabinet for that super depressing Bachelor episode (no judgement) it means your body is telling you that you need it. But for the most part it actually works out.  

One of the home cooked meals my husband missed most once he couldn't eat wheat anymore was meatloaf. Barf. A giant thing of meat. In a loaf. It's my nightmare. So like all good wives do (right?) I compromised with turkey meatloaf. I didn't tell him it was turkey instead of the usual pork/beef combo (don't get me started on pork) and waited on his reaction at dinner to see if he noticed the difference. He did. But it wasn't a BAD different...just different. And I can live with that. I cut out the fat with lean ground turkey and he gets his meatloaf. It's a match made in low cholesterol heaven. 

There's a lot of different options when it comes to making gluten free meatloaf. I haven't tried them all, but I've tried most of them. I tried rice instead of breadcrumbs. It was ok. I tried oats instead of breadcrumbs. It was gross. I tried gluten free bread crumbs. Again, OK, but expensive and the consistency was weird. I've found you need to be selective when using gluten free breadcrumbs. You can't just go around throwing them in every meal that calls for breadcrumbs and if you do, well, lets just say you better have a lot of water on hand because you're going to have a very dry, chewy dinner. Then I tried mushrooms. Ding, ding, ding. Yes, mushrooms. Chop those suckers up as small as you can and even the pickiest eaters can't tell the difference. (Just make sure you hide them in the fridge so the picky eaters don't get suspicious). Plus they hold the meatloaf together like no other while it's baking.  

This is one of those recipes where you can really have a heavy hand on the seasonings since you're using turkey instead of the beef/pork combo and mushrooms instead of breadcrumbs, both which have less flavor, so you'll need to compensate. 

Meatloaf Ingredients:

1lb ground turkey (don't get the leanest kind out there, you need a little fat for flavor in this one)

1 beaten egg (or egg substitute)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup yellow onion (I used red in the picture because its all I had)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped 
3 tablespoons ketchup
The next part is on you. I never actually measure my spices I just usually throw in a (large) pinch of the following:
Fresh ground pepper 
Salt (I use kosher because to me it makes everything better but again, do your thing.)
Thyme
Parsley 
Rosemary
*Note if you are using dried spices use about half the amount you would of fresh. 

Sauce Ingredients:
1/2 cup ketchup 
pinch of red pepper flakes (to taste)
1 tablespoon gluten free worcestershire sauce

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350.
Chop your vegetables and herbs.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in pan.
Add onions, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. Sautee until onions are translucent.

Remove from heat and allow to cool COMPLETELY (trust me on this).
In a large bowl combine your ground turkey, eggs, mushrooms, 1/4 cup ketchup, and cooled herb mixture.

Take off any rings and with your (washed) hands get on in there. Yes, mix it with your hands. It's the only way. Once everything is mixed well together (DON'T OVER MIX) lightly push it into your greased loaf pan.

Put the loaf in the oven and remove after 30 minutes. 
Spoon off any fat that is on the top and put back in oven for 20 minutes.
Remove once fully cooked and let cool for 5 minutes. Flip onto a small non-stick cookie sheet and glaze with remaining sauce.
Put back in oven on cookie sheet and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes. I know that it seems pointless to dirty a pan just for 5 minutes but I promise it's worth it. 

In the fall or winter I'll usually serve the meatloaf with vegetables and mashed potatoes but since its summer I just pair it with gluten free cornbread and a strawberry salad.