Paleo Meatloaf
by HEIDI on APRIL 9, 2012
Paleo meatloaf is one of my favorite low oxalate comfort foods.  Pair it with mashed cauliflower and apple pineapple saladand I’m in low oxalate Paleo heaven.

Nothing spells comfort like meatloaf right out of the oven.
When I first learned about the grain double-whammy against low oxalate dieters–that most grains are medium or high oxalate and that many grains contribute to the intestinal damage that causes my body to absorb too much oxalate–I was completely bummed.  Most Westerners grow up eating bread at every meal and even our favorite main dishes are laden with grains.  It’s hard enough to go low oxalate, but giving up so many familiar foods can be extra tough.

Fortunately for this meatloaf-loving mommy, meatloaf is an easy low oxalate make-over.  Just replace the grains with some other low oxalate filler.  If you eat rice, you could try replacing the bread crumbs in your favorite meatloaf recipe with rice and see how that goes.  Or go completely grain-free with this Paleo meatloaf full of yummy low oxalate vegetables and just enough tomato paste to give it that familiar meatloaf taste.

My mom doesn’t usually like meatloaf, but she loves my Paleo meatloaf.  And lucky for me, so do my boys.  Hope you enjoy it!  Let me know what you think of Paleo meatloaf in the comments section below.  And let me know what other favorite foods you would like me to give a low oxalate (and hopefully grain-free) make-over.  The easiest way to keep going on the low oxalate diet is to have tasty, nutritious foods that make you feel happy.

Paleo Meatloaf

Paleo Meatloaf, mashed cauliflower, broccoli, and unsweetened applesauce — A fabulous low oxalate Paleo dinner for toddlers and pre-schoolers.
1 T bacon fat, butter or coconut oil
1 cup shredded butternut squash (peel, then shred the raw flesh)
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded zucchini (or 1 -2 cups chopped dino kale)
3-6 cloves garlic (I use 6)
4 T tomato paste (about half a 6-ounce can) (see GAPS note)
2 T apple cider vinegar
1 T basil
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt 
2 pounds ground beef (I like grassfed, organic or omega 3)

Melt the fat in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add the butternut squash, onions, zucchini, and garlic and saute until the oinions are translucent and butternut squash is soft.  Meanwhile, mix the tomato paste, vinegar, basil, eggs and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Add the cooked vegetables and beef.  Stir until thoroughly mixed.  Put the mixture into a loaf pan and cook at 350 degrees for about 1 hour and 15 minutes until the meatloaf is no longer pink inside.

Makes 8 – 10 servings

Oxalate Note: Tomato paste is a medium oxalate ingredient with 8 mg. oxalate per 2 tablespoons.  All other ingredients are low oxalate or very low oxalate.  Paleo meatloaf has about 3.7 mg. oxalate per serving (based on 10 servings).  If you want more tomato taste and can handle a little more oxalate, try using the whole can of tomato paste (this raises the oxalate content to about 5.3 mg. oxalate per serving.)

If your meatloaf falls apart:  This meatloaf tends to fall apart because the traditional breadcrumbs in meatloaf aren’t really just a filler, they help hold the meatloaf together.  Crumbling meatloaf doesn’t bother me; I love it anyway.  But if it bothers you, add 2  T coconut flour to hold the meatloaf together.

GAPS and SCD modification:  Use 1/2 cup fresh homemade tomato sauce in place of the tomato paste (thick sauce works best).  If your tomato sauce contains basil, onion and garlic, then adjust the above flavorings as needed.

Picky Eater Pleaser:  My boys don’t notice or don’t mind the butternut squash and the zucchini,  but Aidan can spy an onion no matter how finely chopped it is.  I often cook the onion separately and make “separate meals in one pan” (onion-free meatloaf on one side and extra onion on the other).  This technique could be used with any of the vegetables or basil if you have a little one that can always spy  a veggie he doesn’t like.

Other Diets:  Paleo meatloaf may be appropriate for GFCF, gluten-free and Paleo diets.  Paleo meatloaf may also be appropriate for GAPS and SCD diets with modification.

Photo credit to Chispita_666 for meatloaf.