Recipe Wednesday - Turkey Loaf Surprise

This is my adaption of the Turkey Loaf in Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet Cookbook. The kids won't touch it with a 10 foot pole, though. My son asked what the green stuff was and I told him it was salad. He says "I don't like salad" even though he was eating leaves out of my salad bowl just a few nights earlier. He did finally eat some of the turkey. :)

Turkey Loaf Surprise

20 oz package of extra lean ground turkey breast
10 oz package of frozen spinach
1/4 large red onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium carrot, cooked then chopped
1/4 cup mashed sweet potato (optional)
1/3 cup oat bran
2 Tablespoons ground flax seeds
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon tomato paste, mixed with 1 Tablespoon water
1/4 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste
nonstick cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Cook the spinach according to package directions. I place mine in a microwave safe dish with 1 Tablespoon water. Put on a lid and microwave for about 2 and half minutes. Stir and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes more. Place spinach in a colander over a bowl to drain. Set aside for now.

3. Do the same thing with the carrot. I read somewhere cooking carrots whole and then cutting them retains more nutrients so I nuke them whole and then cut them up. Not sure if nuking them is the best thing, though! :) Cook the carrot until it is soft and then roughly chop.

4. Spray a good amount of cooking spray into a skillet. Add the onion and celery. Cook until soft, stirring fairly often to keep them from sticking. Add the carrot to the pan and cook together for a couple minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Puree with an immersion blender, if desired. Add the mashed sweet potato here, if using.

5. To this bowl, add the eggs, tomato paste, chicken broth, oat bran, flax and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Mix well. Add the ground turkey. Roll up your sleeves and mix everything together with your clean hands. :)

6. Place half of the turkey mixture in a loaf pan lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Place the drain spinach on top and then cover with the remaining turkey.

7. Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until the turkey is no longer pink. Let sit for a few minutes after it comes out of the oven.


Umm...yes, that would be a Disney Princess plate that my turkey loaf is resting on.

Makes 6 servings, each with approximately:

199 calories
27.3g protein
6.2g fat
10.5g carbs
4.7g fiber