Jeanette's Healthy Living

Where delicious and healthy come together

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • List of All Recipes (alphabetical)
    • Breakfast
    • appetizers
    • soups
    • salads
    • main courses
    • side dishes
    • dips and sauces
    • beverages
    • smoothies
    • Desserts and Cookies
  • Special Diets
    • gluten-free
    • dairy-free
    • vegetarian
    • vegan
    • Liquid/Soft Food Diet
    • Pureed Food Diet
    • Low Residue Diet
  • Cancer Cooking
  • Faith
  • Healthy Living
    • Healthy Living
    • travel
  • About
    • About
    • Contact Us
    • Work With Me
    • Media Features
    • Terms & Conditions

Gluten-Free Barbecue Meatloaf Muffins Recipe

December 2, 2013 by Jeanette 34 Comments

Jump to RecipePrint Recipe
10.2K shares
  • Facebook81
  • Twitter
  • Yummly

These Gluten-Free Barbecue Meatloaf Muffins are not only fun to eat, but full of goodness. Sauteed finely chopped vegetables add extra moistness and flavor.
Barbecue Meatloaf Muffins © Jeanette's Healthy Living

Miniature, fun foods are a great way to get my kids to eat something that’s on the healthier side – it’s a great distraction. Recently, I made these mini meatloaves in muffin form – I have to say these came out even better than I expected. What I love about this recipe is that it packs in lots of vegetables and uses whole grain oats as a binder.

Not only do the vegetables and oats make this a moist and healthier meatloaf recipe, but they help stretch out a pound of ground meat to feed 6 people. My kids love my Balsamic Glazed Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf, which is packed with vegetables too, so I was pretty sure they’d like this one too.

Barbecue Meatloaf Muffins in Pan

By finely chopping all the vegetables in a food processor, and cooking them before adding them to the meat, they virtually disappear into the meatloaf. My kids had no idea that there was almost as much vegetables as meat in these meatloaf muffins. Served alongside Mashed Stokes Purple Sweet Potatoes and Roasted Romanesco Cauliflower and Garlic, my kids probably had 3-4 servings of vegetables at dinner without even blinking an eye.

Gluten-Free Barbecue Meatloaf Muffins © Jeanette's Healthy Living

After doing some reading about the differences among conventional raised beef, organic beef and pasture-raised beef, I decided to try Organic 100% Grass-Fed Pasture-Raised Beef in this recipe. Now that’s a mouthful. However, each word in that description means something. Although all cows graze on pasture for the first six months of their life, the remainder of their life is what differentiates conventional raised cows from organic and pasture-raised cows.

Conventional raised beef means the cows are “finished” in confined feedlots, fed a diet of grains (e.g., corn, soy) to promote rapid weight gain, and are most likely given hormones and antibiotics to promote growth and prevent disease; their feed may also contain animal by-products. This results in a faster product to market because the cow will reach market weight up to a year faster than a pasture-raised cow, and beef with more marbling (e.g., more fat). However, because these cows are given hormones and antibiotics, and eat non-organic feed, meat from these cows contain undesirable hormones and chemicals.

Organic beef is not the same thing as pasture-raised beef. Nor is “All Natural” beef the same as organic beef. “All Natural” simply means nothing has been added to the beef, e.g., salt or MSG. It does not mean organic. Organic beef means the cows have been fed organic feed and have not been given hormones or antibiotics. To be certified as organic, cows must be born and raised on certified organic pasture and have unrestricted outdoor access. However, that does not mean the cows are eating grass. They are also fed certified organic grains (e.g., corn), which yields meat that is higher in saturated fat.

Pasture-Raised beef is from cows that have been raised on pasture and have not been given hormones or antibiotics; however, that does not mean these cows grazed on grass alone, nor does it mean they were fed organic food. They may have been finished on grains (which has a higher percentage of fat).

Grass-Fed beef means the cows were fed grasses, but does not mean they grazed on pasture, nor does it mean organic.

Finally, Organic, 100% Grass-Fed Pasture Raised beef means the cows were raised on pasture, and grazed on organic grass their entire life. This yields a leaner beef, and is the way cows used to be raised.

There have been some studies that indicate that grass-fed beef is nutritionally superior to conventional beef – generally lower in total fat and saturated fat, higher in omega-3 fatty acids (and a healthier ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids), B vitamins, vitamin E, conjugated linoleic acids (potential cancer-fighter) and beta-carotene.

The terminology can be so confusing, and everyone has to make their own choices, of course, but now that I think I finally understand the differences, I can make a more educated decision next time I buy beef. For my family, I choose meat that has not been treated with antibiotics or hormones, so that means no conventional meat, whether it’s beef or chicken.

What are your thoughts?

Print

Gluten-Free Meat Loaf Muffins

Chop the onion, carrot and celery in a food processor to a fine mince for easier preparation. You want to end up with about 3 cups of vegetables.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 2-3 carrots peeled, trimmed, finely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks trimmed, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • 1 pound ground turkey or lean ground grass-fed beef
  • 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats ground finely in a food processor
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1/4 cup + 1/2 cup barbecue sauce choose one that has no additives or preservatives
  • 1/2 cup minced parsley

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Heat oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrots, celery, garlic, oregano, thyme and basil. Saute until vegetables are soft, about 5-6 minutes. Cool.
  3. Combine cooked vegetables, salt, pepper, ground meat, ground oats, mustard, beaten egg, 1/4 cup barbecue sauce and parsley in a bowl. Mix well.
  4. Lightly oil muffin tin. Divide meatloaf mixture among 12 muffin cups. Spoon a little barbecue sauce on top of each meatloaf muffin. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from pan. Brush a little extra barbecue sauce on top, if desired.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from Cooking Light

Nutrition Facts
Gluten-Free Meat Loaf Muffins
Amount Per Serving (2 g)
Calories 0
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Sources:
Mercola:The Secret Sauce of Grass-Fed Beef
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: Conjugated Linoleic Acid

Related Posts
Filter by
Post Page
gluten-free Desserts and Cookies Holidays Christmas dairy-free healthy choices side dishes Thanksgiving Resources Clean Eating whole grain Breakfast vegetarian Breads Pasta and Noodles Dinner main courses low carb snacks
Sort by
Gluten-Free Holiday Desserts - choose from gluten-free cakes, crisps, tarts, cookies and special treats for guests with food allergies

30+ Gluten-Free Holiday Desserts

2018-12-14 05:00:33
jeanette

18

Gluten-Free Herbed Cornbread Stuffing

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Herbed Thanksgiving Stuffing

2018-11-21 05:00:36
jeanette

18

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Thanksgiving Recipes

60 Healthy Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Thanksgiving Recipes

2018-11-19 05:00:41
jeanette

18

60+ Healthy Gluten Free Thanksgiving Recipes - Pin this now and refer to it for planning your Thanksgiving and Holiday menus

60 Healthy Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Recipes

2018-11-13 05:00:00
jeanette

18

Gluten Free Marbled Banana Chocolate Quick Bread - made with oat flour and almond flour, this quick bread is healthy and delicious!

Gluten-Free Marbled Chocolate Banana Quick Bread Recipe

2018-08-29 05:00:00
jeanette

18

Gluten-Free Low Carb Pasta with Asparagus Pancetta and Pine Nuts - this takes just 15 minutes to make - so simple and delicious!

Pasta with Asparagus Pancetta and Pine Nuts (Gluten-Free, Low Carb)

2018-03-28 05:00:42
jeanette

18

Gluten Free Holiday Side Dish Recipes

100+ Gluten Free Holiday Side Dish Recipes

2017-11-16 05:00:48
jeanette

18

Gluten Free Fig Frangipane Tart - made with gluten free puff pastry, this elegant tart features fresh figs, frangipane and pistachios

Gluten Free Fig Frangipane Tart Recipe

2016-09-14 05:00:29
jeanette

18

Gluten Free Fruit and Nut Snack Bars - Nature Valley gluten free bars topped with fresh fruit and Greek yogurt, nut butter, and cottage cheese - easy ways to dress up snack bars and incorporate healthy fruits

Gluten Free Fruit and Nut Snack Bars {Nature Valley $500 Gift Card Sweepstakes}

2015-10-21 05:00:00
jeanette

18

Gluten-Free Apple Streusel Cake - this is the perfect Fall cake - it

Gluten-Free Apple Streusel Cake With Yogurt Cream Recipe

2015-09-29 05:00:00
jeanette

18

10.2K shares
  • Facebook81
  • Twitter
  • Yummly

Filed Under: Clean Eating, dairy-free, Dinner, gluten-free, healthy choices, main courses, whole grain Tagged With: gluten-free meatloaf, grass-fed beef health benefits, how to get kids to eat more vegetables, mini meatloaves

« Mashed Stokes Purple Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Thai Red Curry Chicken with Winter Squash Recipe »

Comments

  1. Angie@Angie's Recipes says

    December 2, 2013 at 8:15 am

    My husband loves ground meat dishes…those meatloaf muffins look so good and I like that you have incorporated some veggies in it too.

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      December 2, 2013 at 11:06 pm

      Angie – hope your husband enjoys these as much as my boys. They’re really moist because of all the flavorful veggies.

      Reply
  2. Liz @ The Lemon Bowl says

    December 2, 2013 at 9:14 am

    I love meatloaf muffins!! So easy and I love that they cook in half the time. 🙂

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      December 2, 2013 at 11:06 pm

      Liz – I couldn’t agree more – so easy and much faster to cook than regular meatloaf.

      Reply
  3. cheenachatti.com says

    December 2, 2013 at 9:49 am

    First time here. Loved your site and the recipes. Can’t resist dropping a comment here seeing the cool snaps. Will definitely try this recipe and let you know..

    Eagerly waiting for more recipes.

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      December 2, 2013 at 11:07 pm

      Thanks so much for visiting – hope to see around in my coming posts! Please let me know if you try this recipe – would love to hear how it turns out for you.

      Reply
  4. The Café Sucre Farine says

    December 2, 2013 at 7:31 pm

    Looks like a scrumptious dinner! Such beautiful, vibrant colors!

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      December 2, 2013 at 11:08 pm

      Thank you – I’ve been having fun with changing up the veggies at dinnertime ~ keeps my kids on their toes wondering what’s next for dinner 😉

      Reply
  5. Kelly says

    December 3, 2013 at 4:44 am

    These meatloaf muffins look wonderful Jeanette! Meatloaf is one of my hubby and son’s favorites and I know they would love these adorable muffin versions 🙂

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      December 5, 2013 at 8:55 am

      Thanks Kelly – these are really fun for the kids (and hubby too)!

      Reply
  6. Joanne says

    December 3, 2013 at 7:16 am

    Such a fun idea to make the meatloaf into muffins! This way they are perfectly portioned out single servings!

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      December 5, 2013 at 8:56 am

      Joanne – these are definitely great for portion control. I had one and it was perfect!

      Reply
  7. Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) says

    December 3, 2013 at 8:23 am

    Great way to bring some fun to traditional meatloaf!

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      December 5, 2013 at 8:56 am

      Lydia – these were a lot of fun and they freeze well too.

      Reply
  8. JulieD says

    December 3, 2013 at 11:46 am

    These look so tasty, Jeanette!

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      December 5, 2013 at 8:56 am

      Thanks Julie – the veggies in these mini meatloaves keeps these nice and moist.

      Reply
  9. Christine (CookTheStory) says

    December 3, 2013 at 4:09 pm

    I really like all the colors on your dinner plate. My daughter loves purple, she would be so excited. I also think children like to get a whole piece of something on their dinner plate, so the muffin tin meatloaf is a great idea.

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      December 5, 2013 at 8:57 am

      Thanks Christine – I love making my kids’ plates colorful with naturally beautiful veggies. The mini meatloaves were a hit with my kids too!

      Reply
  10. Sommer @ ASpicyPerspective says

    December 3, 2013 at 11:12 pm

    Love meatloaf muffins! Yours sound delicious! Thanks for sharing! 🙂

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      December 5, 2013 at 8:58 am

      Sommer – definitely a fun food!

      Reply
  11. alison @ Ingredients, Inc says

    December 4, 2013 at 7:48 am

    wow you are so creative!

    Reply
  12. Nami | Just One Cookbook says

    December 5, 2013 at 1:26 am

    I might be the only person who never tried meatloaf in my life (maybe once?)! I never had it in Japan and never had a chance to eat it since I came here too! Where was I?! Love the muffin idea very much. Good for bento! 😀

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      December 5, 2013 at 8:58 am

      Nami – I didn’t grow up with meatloaf either, except in the school cafeteria. These are so much better than I remember.

      Reply
  13. Carolyn says

    December 5, 2013 at 7:45 am

    We belong to a meat CSA from a local farm (all pasture-raised and grassfed). They were recently told that they can’t use the term Organic for their meats. Not because they use any chemicals, as they only use manure and lime on all of their land. But because “organic” farmers may actually use a bunch of chemicals that they refuse to use. So it is interesting…blurred lines. You should check out what they say here… http://www.johncrowfarm.com/

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      December 5, 2013 at 9:02 am

      Interesting read Carolyn – you really have to know the source of your food these days. Labeling doesn’t mean what you think it should. It’s all so confusing. Wish we had a CSA that sold meat nearby. Thanks for sharing that article.

      Reply
  14. Ash-foodfashionparty says

    December 5, 2013 at 2:58 pm

    A perfect way to get the crispy coating in every bite. I didn’t grow up eating meat loaf, but after coming here I make it quite often but different cuts of meat. These little miniature ones are really a neat idea.

    Reply
  15. Shaina says

    December 5, 2013 at 4:11 pm

    We are not a meatloaf family, but I think my kids would get behind these little treasures.

    Reply
  16. Brenda@SugarFreeMom says

    January 13, 2014 at 8:38 am

    LOVE these and perfect for someone watching their weight, perfect portions! Sharing this one today on my FB!!

    Reply
  17. Shannin says

    May 29, 2014 at 10:58 pm

    My kids are allergic to eggs. Do you have a substitute for that?

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      May 31, 2014 at 9:18 am

      You can use a little cornstarch and water – it’s really just to bind the meat and give the meatloaf a smoother texture.

      Reply
  18. Kathy says

    April 28, 2015 at 1:55 pm

    Tried this last night and loved it!!! I don’t even like meatloaf but I think all the veggies really helped give it a good flavor. I might try it with ketchup instead of bbq sauce next time.

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      April 29, 2015 at 7:47 pm

      Kathy – so glad you enjoyed these meatloaf muffins – the veggies do give them a lot of unexpected flavor.

      Reply
  19. Gayle Joyce says

    October 22, 2017 at 6:46 pm

    I’m looking forward to making these. When you say end up with about 3 cups of veggies do you mean cooked or raw? Thanks!!Ggljoyce@me.co

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      October 22, 2017 at 7:44 pm

      You should have about 3 cups of raw vegetables. I hope you enjoy this recipe!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hi! I'm Jeanette - welcome! Step into my kitchen, where you'll find healthy dishes packed with flavor and goodness.

[Read More …]

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Get Your Free e-Book!

Weekly College Meal Planner

Good recipes come to those who subscribe!

Archives

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Copyright © 2016 Jeanette's Healthy Living · Privacy Policy
10.2K shares
  • 81Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Yummly