I run essential bloodwork and the FBCA and Bloodsmart reports on myself at least twice a year, and if anything comes back outside of optimal and needing some attention, then I’ll run that bloodwork quarterly to check my progress while I work on correcting things. A few months ago, my bloodwork came back with slightly low Total Serum Iron, so I ramped up my intake of Paleo- and Keto-friendly iron-rich foods, including:
- pastured beef
- pastured organs, esp. liver
- organic spinach
- clams
- oysters (smoked = yum!)
- broccoli
- turkey
- duck
As part of that effort, I whipped up this meatloaf recipe that includes several of those foods at once, and it turned out so good, it has become a household staple. And my Total Serum Iron is now back in the optimal range! 👍
This low carb, Keto, CleanKeto, Paleo, and Whole30-friendly meatloaf is moist, rich and flavorful. Treat your family to this nutrient-dense, healthy comfort food they’ll love! Makes great leftovers, too.
Swap the spinach for kale or collards (cook them thoroughly and chop finely), remove the parsley, and skip the ketchup-sriracha sauce to make this recipe Detox-friendly for when you’re doing Dr. Emily’s 10-Day Detox.
Spinach-Stuffed Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf
Equipment
- 1 fine mesh strainer
- 1 large mixing bowl
- Parchment paper
- 1 large cookie sheet
- 1 casserole dish
- 1 basting brush or rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 16 oz spinach frozen or fresh
- 1¾ lb ground beef pastured
- ¼ lb beef or chicken liver, minced or ground pastured
- 2 eggs pastured
- ½ cup macadamia nut meal
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp coarse sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 8-10 slices bacon
For the sauce:
- ½ cup unsweetened Paleo-friendly ketchup such as Primal Kitchen brand
- ground mustard
- Sriracha Paleo and Keto friendly, such as Jojo's or Steve's brands; optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Lightly steam the spinach until tender, then plunge into an ice-water bath.
- Drain spinach in fine mesh strainer, pressing to get out most of the water, then squeeze all remaining excess liquid out of spinach by hand.
- In a large bowl, combine beef, liver, eggs, mac nut meal, garlic, parsley, sea salt, and ground pepper until well combined (I find it easiest to do this by squishing the mixture with my hands).
- Lay out a sheet of parchment onto a large cookie sheet.
- Spread the meat mixture out into a roughly rectangular shaped, ½" thick layer on the sheet.
- Spread the drained spinach in an even layer on top of the meat.
- Using the parchment paper to help you, start to form a roll, using the paper to push the meat forward.
- Once you have it rolled, carefully place your meatloaf in the center of a casserole dish.
- Wrap the bacon slices over top, tucking them under the sides of loaf.
- Mix sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Pour ⅓ of the sauce over the top of the meatloaf and spread it out into a thin layer with a basting brush or rubber spatula, covering the bacon completely.
- Bake the meatloaf uncovered for 45 minutes.
- Pull the pan out of the oven and spread another ⅓ of the sauce over the top of the meatloaf.
- Return meatloaf to oven for 15 minutes or so, or until the center of the meatloaf reaches 155-160°F with a meat thermometer.
- Serve slices of meatloaf with extra sauce on the side.
