Turkey Meatloaf With A Twist

It's been a busy week of travel and then catching up with work stuff. It feels good to be back in blogland to share this fun recipe with you!

I don't know about you, but I really love meatloaf. It's one of those meals that is comforting and reminds me of my dad. When we were little he used to make this awesome meatloaf with chunky fresh vegetables and bacon on the top. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. Can you hear my stomach growling?

The other day I was craving a good meatloaf. And when I get thinking about something, I don't rest until I get it done. I wanted to use the ground turkey I had thawing in the refrigerator and I also had a huge package of firm tofu that needed to be used. I wondered if it was possible to combine the two in a loaf. I mean, I suppose anything is possible, but would it be yummy?

It never ceases to amaze me - all the things you can find on the internet. I searched for tofu and turkey meatloaf and more than one recipe popped up. Nice!

Here's the recipe with my notes:

Glazed Tofu Meatloaf, adapted from allrecipes.com
1-14oz. package of firm tofu (I used a little more than that)
2 lbs ground turkey (I used about 1.25 lbs)
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1-1oz. packet of dry onion soup mix (I didn't have this, so I used 1tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper)
1/4 cup diced green pepper (I used leeks...surprise!)
2 eggs
Glaze:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp yellow mustard
*I also added about 1/4 cup ketchup to the glaze

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly spray a 9 inch baking dish (or whatever you have that's close) with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, mash the tofu with a potato masher or with a fork.

Then add the turkey, bread crumbs (I cut up some old bread), spice mix, green pepper (or leeks!), and eggs. Combine thoroughly, but don't over mix. Spread the meal mixture into the pan evenly or shape into a loaf (either is fine).

In a small bowl, add the ingredients for the glaze. Wisk together until smooth. This mixture is pretty wet, so don't worry if it seems runny. Pour the glaze over the meatloaf.

Bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 180F.

Slice and enjoy! I served mine with pureed cauliflower and boiled cabbage. My husband didn't even know there was tofu in it and the glaze adds a great sweetness to it. It was really tasty and healthy. Next time you are wondering what to do with tofu, remember this recipe. :)  Happy cookin'!