Starting on Tuesday, I’m going to take a healthier approach to my diet – for a week. After scanning my favorites here on Cooking Inside the Lines I noticed a lot of red meat, cheeses, BACON and bread products. While I like to think my diet is balanced, I’ve been feeling a little off-kilter recently and am thinking a week of a little more “clean” eating might do me some good, this also includes no wine or caffeine at all…at all…at all. So, no wine, caffeine or processed foods if I can help it, plus more fruits and veggies and vegetarian and fish options for a week. I’m hoping after the week is over not only will I feel better, but it might serve as an inspiration for me to continue to eat a wee bit healthier moving forward.
So to get me ready for this new “diet” aka menu plan, what’s the best thing to do? Eat the heck out of all the things you love right? Yes, that’s the best way to go, of course!
Even though the recipe is from Cooking Light, I felt this Quick Meat Loaf recipe was still indulgent enough to prep me for my diet week and I have to say it certainly was. You know meat loaf can make some people shudder, but I’ve always really had a thing for it. This version was simple to make, especially since it cooks quickly “free-form” style in a roasting pan. There were not many ingredients in this so I was pretty surprised by the great flavors in the meat loaf and the moist, delicious texture. I served this with a side inspired from Food Network Magazine which was simply blanching fresh broccoli, garlic and salt in boiling water for one minute and then, after draining, coat in salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. You then place the broccoli in a pre-heated roasting pan and then cover with more cheese and breadcrumbs and roast at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.
Tomorrow more indulgence continues with Bacon Mac ‘n’ Cheese from Cooking Light. Stay tuned gentle lambs!