Light Winter Dinners: Turkey & Veggie Meatloaf

January and February compete for the coldest month of the year in Chicago. We average anywhere from 20 degrees to below 20 and that's not considering the wind chill. At the end of a long, cold day when it's dark and frigid outside, the only thing you want is a comforting meal and cozy blanket. These cold, dark nights coupled with a few new year resolutions have inspired me to create a couple recipes based off of my favorite comfort foods that have a lighter, healthier twist. I promise you that each of these recipes are kid-friendly, man-friendly and tummy-friendly. 

Meatloaf is an all-American favorite comfort food. Some people give it an Italian twist, others give it a maple-bourbon twist and I give it a turkey and veggie twist. Meatloaf can be dry and bland but thanks to a healthy spoonful or two of tomato paste, this recipe is far from. Oh, and skip the side veggies if you've got picky eaters because this recipe has several baked right in. 

TURKEY AND VEGGIE MEATLOAF
Ingredients:
1 pound Ground Turkey
1/2 Onion, grated
1/2 Green Bell Pepper, diced
1 large Carrot, shredded
1/2 cup Oatmeal
1/4 cup Tomato Paste
1 Egg
2 teaspoons fresh Rosemary, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh Parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh Thyme, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh Sage, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Salt

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Mix all of the ingredients together well. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray. Place meat mixture into the pan as evenly as you can and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Let sit for a few minutes before slicing and serve.

Serves 4