Sometimes, you don’t want to mess with the classics. This recipe does the opposite. I wanted to combine black beans and ground turkey with chili powder and green chilies, and did some recipe testing to create this meatloaf. The beans add texture, fiber and flavor and take the place of a little of the meat this recipe would otherwise need. I don’t cook with gluten containing ingredients in my kitchen, so this version is gluten free, using coconut flour rather than the traditionally used breadcrumbs. If you want a paleo version, just use another 1/2 lb of ground turkey instead of the beans. If gluten agrees with you, feel free to use regular breadcrumbs in place of the coconut flour, but you’ll have to adjust the amount.
Southwestern Turkey and Black Bean Meatloaf
1 lb ground turkey (I used 93% lean, but any variety would work well, ground beef could be used instead if you’d prefer)
1 cup black beans, drained
1 egg, beaten
3 Tbs coconut flour
1 bunch of green onions, chopped (or 1 medium yellow onion, chopped)
2 tsp coconut oil
1 green pepper
4 oz hatch green chilies
garlic 3 cloves
1/2 bunch cilantro
Spice mix:
1.5 Tbs chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin
Set aside:
10 oz Rotel tomatoes and chilies, drained
1.Preheat your oven to 400° F. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt coconut oil and add onions and green pepper. Allow to sautee for about 5 minutes until it starts to cook down a little then add some of the spice mix and all of the minced garlic. Cook for another 30 seconds or so, while stirring. Remove from heat and set aside.
2.In a medium mixing bowl, combine turkey, beans, green chilies, the rest of the spices and the cilantro. Mix a bit with your hands then add the egg and coconut flour and continue to mix to combine. Add the sauteed onion pepper mix and combine.
3.Oil a bread pan on the bottom and sides. Drain the Rotel tomatoes and set aside. Put meat into the pan and place in the oven when it’s preheated. Bake for 45 minutes, remove from oven and top with the drained Rotel tomatoes and return to the oven for 20 minutes. Bake until internal temperature of meatloaf reaches 170° F. Allow to cool slightly before serving. The meatloaf will release some juices and shrink a little as it bakes, you can carefully drain off any excess liquid when the cooking time is over.
4.Serve with chili roasted sweet potatoes and a green salad.
Maria's Clean Plate 
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