Ground Turkey Hummus Meatloaf

This recipe will get you a great result on an old favorite. It will also save you money. I usually pay $2.19 for one pound of ground turkey. Contrast that with almost $4 a pound for 93/7 ground beef, and you've got some major savings. Turkey is leaner, cleaner, and cheaper than any ground beef you can find.

I add hummus into the mix because I like stretching my proteins. My latest grocery analysis for february showed almost 30% of my wife and I's grocery bill going to proteins. That tells me that we need to do some stretching, and use less meat. Anyway, let's get to it.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Ground Turkey or Chicken
• 3/4 cup Basic Hummus or Store Bought Hummus
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup Bread Crumbs
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
• 1/2 cup Finely Chopped Onions
• 1/2 cup Finely Chopped Bell Peppers

Optional Ingredients:

• 1 Finely Chopped Jalapeño Pepper (no seeds)
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• Substitute Garlic Salt for Regular Salt
• Add some red pepper flakes (I am on a pepper flake kick)

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 375˚.

Put everything in a mixing bowl, and mix it up with your hands. You really need to get in there and get it thoroughly mixed together. A lot of people (including my wife) find this part gross. Ground turkey has kind of a slimy consistency, but don't let it bother you.

Once everything is well mixed, grease a standard size loaf pan, plop your meat mixture down in there, and spread it out evenly. Place it in the oven, set your timer for 40 minutes, and hang out. Once your 40 minutes is up, get out a meat thermometer (I highly recommend owning one of these if you don't already), and make sure that the internal temperature of your loaf is at least 160˚, and preferably 170˚. If it isn't, that turkey isn't done. Set your timer for 5 minutes and check back if it's still too cool.

Once the loaf has reached its optimal temperature, it's time to let it rest. I usually give it 10-15 minutes. This allows the loaf to absorb some of its own juices, instead of spilling them out into the bottom of the pan. Just set the pan on a trivet and give it time.

That's it! I usually do red potatoes and a green vegetable with this. It makes the plate look good.

Tips:

• If you find that the loaf did not form too well, I would recommend adding a few more bread crumbs at the beginning. Also, consider letting the meat mixture rest for a few minutes after you have it mixed. This will allow some of that moisture to absorb into the bread crumbs, forming a more cohesive mix. Also, pay attention to the moisture level of the hummus. A very moist hummus can really mess up the consistency of the meatloaf.
• If the loaf is too bland for you, add some chopped garlic into your meat mix. This obviously depends on your tolerance for garlic flavor (mine is very high). 1-2 cloves would add some nice savor.
• Turkey can taste kind of gamey. If you are not digging the flavor, switch to chicken. Chicken is usually about as cheap, and offers many of the same health benefits.