Mini Meatloaves with Turkey, Quinoa, and Zucchini

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• ½ cup quinoa, rinsed well
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ¾ cup sambal oelek (Indonesian chile sauce), divided
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 2 large egg whites
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pound ground skinless turkey breast
• 3 tablespoons stone-ground mustard

Step 1

Bring some water and the quinoa to a boil in a saucepan. Once it’s boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low, cover the pot, and let it simmer until the quinoa is tender—this usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes. While that’s cooking, shred the zucchini using a cheese grater right over a clean kitchen towel. Then, gather up the towel and squeeze out as much moisture as you can from the zucchini.

Step 2

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly brush it with olive oil to keep things from sticking. In a big bowl, toss the zucchini with 1/4 cup of chile sauce, chopped red onion, egg whites, minced garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add the cooked quinoa and ground turkey, then mix everything together until it’s well combined.

Step 3

Divide the mixture into six equal portions and shape each one into a small loaf. Place them evenly spaced on your prepared baking sheet. Mix the remaining 1/2 cup of chile sauce with the mustard, then spread a generous spoonful of this sauce over each mini meatloaf.

Step 4

Pop the tray into the oven and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, until the meatloaves are cooked through and the sauce on top has darkened a bit. Once done, take them out and let them rest for at least five minutes before serving.