I’ve taken my classic meatloaf recipe and molded it into the shape of a brain for a fun Halloween inspired twist. My meatloaf is made with plenty of vegetables loaded into it, onion, bell pepper, and zucchini too! So it’s healthified and lightened up while still being scary good.

Usually meatloaf is made with ketchup, but I decided to use tomato sauce and tomato paste along with salt and pepper to lower the amount of sugar and also to be able to control the level of salt. It’s a good little swap that doesn’t effect the taste or texture and gives you a lot more bang for your buck!

Once this brain meatloaf is cut up, it’s just a standard meatloaf, so serving it on a plate uncut is the best way to go about it if you’re making this meatloaf for part of a fun Halloween dinner. It’s just spooky enough to give a real kick in the pants to the kiddos.

I served mine with some steamed green beans and a mac-n-cheese for a complete meal that won’t soon be forgotten!

Brain Meatloaf

Yield: 6

Author: The Skinny Fork (Amanda Plott)

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 55 MinTotal time: 1 H & 4 M

A delicious classic meatloaf that's shaped like a spooky brain and loaded with veggies! Make this meatloaf ahead of time and toss in the oven for a quick weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

1 1/4 Lb. Extra Lean Ground Beef
1/2 C. Grated Zucchini, Squeeze Dry
1/2 C. Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs
1/4 C. Grated Carrot
6 Oz. Unsalted Tomato Sauce
1/2 Medium White Onion, Diced
1/2 Medium Green Bell Pepper, Diced
2 Whole Large Eggs
2 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with foil or silicone baking mat and set aside.
Mix all ingredients, except for half of the tomato sauce and half of the tomato paste, into a large bowl until well combined.
Lightly coat the inside of a plastic brain mold with non-stick spray and press the meat into the mold (Mine was a plastic 'jello' mold that I picked up a couple of years ago at a dollar store or Target.)
Turn the meatloaf brain out onto the prepared baking sheet.
Whisk together the remaining tomato sauce and tomato paste with salt and pepper to taste. Top the meatloaf with the tomato mixture and bake for 55-60 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing into 6 equal sections to serve.
You can prepared this up to 24 hours ahead of time. Just keep covered with saran wrap in the fridge until ready to bake.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

221.00

Fat (grams)

7.09

Sat. Fat (grams)

3.12

Carbs (grams)

6.76

Fiber (grams)

1.40

Net carbs

5.35

Sugar (grams)

3.07

Protein (grams)

31.42

Sodium (milligrams)

178.01

Cholesterol (grams)

146.10

Nutritional Claims: Sugar Conscious • Dairy Free • Milk Free • Peanut Free • Tree Nut Free • Soy Free • Fish Free • Shellfish Free • Pork Free • Crustacean Free • Celery Free • Mustard Free • Sesame Free • Lupine Free • Mollusk Free • Alcohol Free • Sulphite Free • Kosher