makes 6 cupcakes
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves
1 carrot, chopped
1 garlic clove
1 pound organic, pasture-raised ground turkey
3 tablespoons egg whites
1/4 cup steel-cut oatmeal
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 teaspoons tomato paste
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray or line six cavities with paper liners. Set aside.
2. Place the onion, parsley, carrot, and garlic in a food processor with the metal blade attached. Pulse until the ingredients are finely minced.
3. In a large bowl, combine together the minced vegetable mixture, ground turkey, egg whites, steel-cut oatmeal, dried thyme, ground mustard, black pepper, and salt.
4. Spoon the turkey mixture into six of the muffin tin cavities, filling each to the top. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to flatten the top of each cupcake.
5. Bake the cupcakes in the oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes has passed, place a teaspoon of tomato paste on top of each meatloaf cupcake and spread with a pastry brush. Bake for an additional 20 minutes.
Sweet Potato "Icing"
makes enough to ice 6 meatloaf cupcakes
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into large pieces
1 tablespoon organic skim milk
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon nonfat plain Greek yogurt
salt and pepper to taste
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil over medium-high heat. Add in the sweet potatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain and place the potatoes back into the pot.
2. Add the skim milk, butter, and Greek yogurt to the pot with the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mash until smooth.
3. Place the potatoes into an icing bag with a star tip.
4. Pipe the icing onto each baked turkey meatloaf cupcake, garnish with fresh chopped parsley, and serve immediately.