Growing up, the ultimate in comfort food for me was my mom’s meatloaf and mashed potatoes. I always ask my mom to recreate it for me when I go home, but I also make it for myself often, normally adding a healthy spin to it. By replacing the ground beef with lean, ground turkey, adding fresh veggies to the meatloaf, and replacing the mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower (it’s really yummy, trust me!), I cut out extra fat/cholesterol from the ground beef and add 2-3 extra servings of veggies. The original recipe my mom created is adapted from a Lipton soup recipe. She puts a delicious ketchup/Dijon mustard/brown sugar sauce on top of the meatloaf which gives it an awesome savory/sweet flavor that is a hallmark of Southern cooking. I’ve included both recipes below so you can try out either depending on your mood. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Meatloaf is not a “pretty” looking dish. This version tastes GREAT though!
Turkey Meatloaf with Mashed Cauliflower
Mom’s Meatloaf & Mashed Potatoes
Serves 6
Ingredients (Meatloaf)
2 lb. lean ground beef
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
1 1/2 c. breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1/4 c. water
1/3 c. ketchup
Ingredients (Sauce)
1/2 c. ketchup
1/2 c. Dijon mustard
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In large bowl, combine all ingredients for the meatloaf. Place in baking dish.
3. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for the sauce and put mixture on top of meatloaf.
4. Bake for 1 hour.
Mom’s Turkey Meatloaf with Mashed Cauliflower (aka the “healthy” version)
Serves 6
Ingredients (Meatloaf)
1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
1 1/2 c. breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1/4 c. water
1/3 c. ketchup
1 diced red bell pepper
1 diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced mushrooms (I prefer button)
Ingredients (Sauce)
1/2 c. ketchup
1/2 c. Dijon mustard
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In large bowl, combine all ingredients for the meatloaf. Place in baking dish.
3. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for the sauce and put mixture on top of meatloaf.
4. Bake for 1 hour.
Mashed Cauliflower
Ingredients
2 heads cauliflower
Grated parmesan cheese
Butter or margarine, to taste
Salt & pepper, to taste
Skim milk, to taste
Directions
1. Steam cauliflower to cook. (Note: If you don’t have a steamer, you can cook it in the microwave as well. Just put the cauliflower (stems removed), in a microwave-safe bowl with a lid and put just a little bit of water at the bottom. Microwave on high for 3-4 minutes until soft.)
2. Using a hand mixer or blender, blend cauliflower until smooth and creamy.
3. Add parmesan cheese, butter or margarine and salt & pepper, to taste. The less cheese and butter you put in, the healthier this dish with be, so start slow!
4. If the mashed cauliflower is too thick, add some skim milk to the mixture to thin it out a bit and make it creamier.
Sweet Southern Comfort 
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