Turkey Loaf

I have never really been one for making a big thanksgiving dinner so I usually make something different and this turkey meatloaf sounds like something I would make.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of Oil - Any light tasting oil will do for this recipe. I usually use olive oil but a canola or other such vegetable oil will do.

2 to 3 zucchinis - Depending on the size. Where I shop the zucchinis tend towards large and two zucchinis worked perfectly for me.

1/2 onion - I like a white onion for recipes like this because you will not see the onion in the final product. A spanish onion is prettier and does better in recipes where you can see the colour like a salad,

1 1/2 lbs ground turkey - See notes

2t chili powder - I have also swapped the chili out for paprika and it tasted amazing. If you luck out and find smoked paprika, go for it. Your mouth will thank you for it.

4 ounces of Pepper Jack Cheese, grated - See notes

1 egg - The egg is used as a binder in this recipe.

salt and pepper - to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350C.

Line a bowl with cheesecloth.

Coarsely grate your zucchini into the cheesecloth lined bowl.

When finished, gather the cloth up and squeeze as much of the liquid as you can out of the zucchini. Set aside.

Grate your onion finely.

Crack your eggs into a mixing bowl and scramble with a fork.

Add the oil and mix well.

Add the remaining ingredients to the egg mixture and mix well. If it is crumbly, feel free to add an extra egg to ensure your loaf holds together.

Place the mixture into a greased loaf pan

Place in the oven and cook for forty five minutes.

Notes

Making a turkey, especially a large one if you have many mouths to feed, is a big endeavour. Especially if you have a number of sides to go along with it. What do you and your family have for get togethers? Do you have anything that is unique to your family? Id love to hear from you how your family celebrates the holidays together :)

Ground turkey tends to be less fatty than beef or pork. Consequentially, ground turkey is drier when cooked. This is why we add the zucchini. Not only does it add a serving of vegetables hidden in the loaf for those picky eaters, but it also increases the moisture content in the final product without adding any fat.

If you are cutting back on meat, you can use tofu in this recipe. Start by freezing extra firm tofu in the package, then defrost it and press it to remove as much moisture as you can. Frozen tofu crumbles easily and makes a good substitute for ground beef in texture.

I am not sure if there is a good vegan replacement, If you know of a vegan replacement for the egg in this recipe, please let me know :)

If Pepper jack is too hot for you, you can use plain grated cheddar cheese. I have not tried this mozzarella as I think the colour of the cheese and the chili makes it looks more appetising. Mozza and turkey are both very light in colour and the final product might not look very appetising. But, that is just me.

Conversely, if you are like me and the Pepper Jack is not hot enough for you, you could try adding a little sriracha or your favourite hot sauce to the eggs before adding the rest of the ingredients.