After making many low-carb meatloaf recipes, I keep coming back to the recipe I’ve made for 40+ years. It cooks up consistently and never fails to get compliments when served to guests. This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets and if you omit the cheese, it would be suitable for Paleo-Primal followers as well. This is the recipe I use when I want to make meatballs, forming the meat into 1½” meatballs. I bake my meatballs for about 30 minutes and usually don’t bother turning them during cooking. If you are avoiding flax, you could instead sub in 1 tsp. chia seeds soaked 15 minutes in 3 T. water OR you could increase to 2 eggs OR you could add 1 water-soaked and crumbled leftover low-carb slice of bread/biscuit. You definitely want to do one of these things to avoid the meatloaf coming out hard and dense.

More delicious low-carb recipes can be at your fingertips with your very own set of Jennifer Eloff and friends’ best-selling cookbooks LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS. She has collaborated with famous low-carb Chef George Stella and several other talented chefs to bring you a wealth of delicious recipes you are going to want to try. Even a few of my recipes are in her cookbooks! Order your 5-volume set TODAY! (available individually) from Amazon or: http://amongfriends.us/order.php

DISCLAIMER: I do not get paid for this book promotion or for the inclusion of my recipes therein. I do so merely because they are GREAT cookbooks any low-carb cook would be proud to add to their cookbook collection

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 lb. lean ground beef (or 1 lb. beef+½ lb. ground pork)

2 oz. chopped yellow onion (more if you can afford extra carbs)

2 oz. chopped green pepper (more if you can afford extra carbs)

1 T. bacon grease

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 c. parsley, chopped fine

1 egg, beaten (or 2, if you want to omit the flaxmeal below)

1 T. flax meal soaked in 3 T. water (or a crumbled low-carb biscuit/roll, or 1T. ground chia soaked 10 minutes in 3-4 T. water. or another beaten egg)

2 T. Parmesan cheese, grated (more if you like)

4 oz. can tomato sauce (no added sugar)

1/4 tsp. coarse ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. salt

DIRECTIONS: Soak flax meal or chia, if using, in water in a small bowl for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally as it thickens up. Place meat in large mixing bowl. Chop onion and pepper and saute in bacon grease in an oven-proof skillet until very soft. Add to the meat in the mixing bowl, grease and all. Add oregano, parsley and Parmesan. Add soaked flax meal, salt and pepper. Add all remaining ingredients (except tomato sauce). Using your hands or a fork, thoroughly mix all ingredients until well-blended. Shape slightly and tip bowl to allow meat to fall onto baking pan (I use the same saute pan, actually). Reshape as desired. Place in 350º oven and bake uncovered for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and pour tomato sauce evenly over the top of meatloaf and return to oven for 30 more minutes baking. Best to check at 15 minutes here as every oven cooks differently. I can usually tell if the center is done by pressing lightly with a knife center top. If it feels firm the meatloaf is done. If still soft, cook a little longer.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:

Makes 6 servings, each 4 oz. serving has:

349 calories

22.9 g fat

4.27 g carbs, 1.1 g fiber, 3.17 g NET CARBS

30.2 g protein

588 mg. sodium