Updated Meatloaf: Beef+ Quinoa "Muffins"

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You probably read the post title and cringed to yourself. Muffins made out of meat sounds like a weird concept. But ask yourself this question: is meat mixture in the shape of a loaf really more aesthetically pleasing than meat mixture in the shape of a muffin? A questions for the ages, for sure.

Here's the deal: working with children I regularly run into food related dilemmas. (If you don't have kids/don't care skip this paragraph but make these anyway because they are delicious). Sometimes children randomly decide that they don't like food they've been eating for 3 years because... it's brown, or grilled, or made with salt. (There are a myriad of reasons why a 5 year old will randomly quit eating something and declare it the worst food ever created.) This happened recently when I started making meatloaf and the response was less than enthusiastic. In an effort to switch things up and give meatloaf the update it desperately deserves I decided to make these healthy beef-quinoa "muffins". The kids were so thrown off by the muffin shape they forgot to question the vegetables inside and proceeded to consume 5 each. 

These "muffins" were such a hit I decided to throw them in the fridge and try them out as a quick and easy lunch option. Because they are super easy to store, transport, and not incredibly time consuming, they make a fantastic and healthy work lunch. Make a batch on Sunday and save money on eating out all week! 

Beef + Quinoa Muffins

 

Ingredients: 

  • 1 lb lean beef
  • 1.5 cups cooked quinoa (can also use buckwheat/brown rice)
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 stalks celery, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, finely chopped
  • 1 white or yellow onion, finely chopped
  • fresh rosemary, thyme, parsley, rough chop. (Ok to use dry if fresh isn't available.)
  • ketchup, cherry tomatoes, your imagination for topping
  • salt/pepper for seasoning

Click through for preparation:


Seasonal Sense: August/September

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Fresh from the garden on a recent trip to SC. 

Fresh from the garden on a recent trip to SC. 

In my life, eating seasonally is not a question of politics or policy. It’s a question of pure common sense. There are two big reasons that eating seasonally and trying to grow your own fruit, herbs, and vegetables is a great idea: 

     1. It's healthier.

     2. It's cheaper.

It's a short and very concise list because budget and health are the two things that most prominently affect my quality of life. Furthermore, the politics of local and organic food are far too complex to be direct reasons for how I grocery shop. I will not spend time waxing poetic about supporting your local farmer. (No farmer's market is void of corporate or business strategy/influence, anyone who says otherwise isn't doing enough research.) I will not get into how insane it is to go to Whole Foods and pay a fortune for "organic" strawberries... in January... on the East Coast. (Here's a good tip: look around you. Is there snow on the ground? Are you wearing more than 3 layers? Are the strawberries on the shelf being sold as fresh and organic? Well, they aren't. They ripened in a box and were able to do so because they were treated with chemicals while being shipped.) 

Eating seasonally is what I do because I have a budget to keep, a body to take care of, and no desire for my produce to taste like corrugated cardboard. The difference in flavor (and nutrient content) between a peach grown and picked in July and one that has been shipped across the country and ripened in a box is not subjective. It is simply a question of: do you or do you not have functioning taste buds?

Every few months I will post a list of what is seasonal, fresh, and ripe at the grocery store and farmer's market. Below is a list of fruits and vegetables that are in season right now in and around the Washington DC area.  (This map from Epicurious is a really great resource to check what's fresh in your area.)

I assume that like me most of you probably don't have a lot of storage for fresh produce in your apartments/homes. (I share my fridge with two other people, so putting away even the smallest groceries feels like stuffing a watermelon into a well stocked hotel mini bar.)  In order to be able to shop on a budget and get your money's worth it's important to store produce properly so that it keeps and doesn't spoil before you've had a chance to use it. Hence, I've also included proper storage techniques for each of the items listed below.

 

Click on each image for easy storage tips: 

The two most valuable tips for extending the shelf life and flavor of my produce are:

1. Freezer bags

2. Chop up produce before storing. 

Produce which is pre-cut takes up less space in the fridge since it can be tucked into places that containers can't fit. (It also saves so much time when you're ready to start cooking!) Freezer bags take up less space, can be washed and reused, and produce which you won't be working with immediately can be frozen for later use instead of rotting away. Let me know if you have any great tips for prolonging the life of your produce!

In the coming weeks look out for easy and affordable ways to preserve and prepare some of the seasonal fruits and vegetables pictured above.