If it’s not obvious by now, I get a lot of my recipes from Cooking Light, and I have another review for a recipe from the magazine. When I think about comfort food, “healthy” isn’t the first word that comes to mind. However, at less than 300 calories per serving, Diner Meat Loaf “Muffins” from Cooking Light are a healthier alternative to traditional meat loaf. Equally important, these “muffins” are easy to make and delicious. This recipe is a regular in our house, and below I provided a review of the recipe including tips and substitutions.

Forgive me for the photos! Derek is off in California with the good camera, so these are from my iPhone.

Recipe Review: Diner Meat Loaf “Muffins” by Cooking Light

The first step of the recipe involves sautéing chopped onion, oregano, garlic, and carrots. I didn’t have any carrots on hand, so I left them out. Zucchini or mushrooms would also be good substitutes for the carrots. Though I didn’t do it this time, this step is a great opportunity to amp up the veggies.

Next, the onion mixture is combined with ketchup, lean ground beef, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, 2 eggs, and crushed saltine crackers. Instead of saltine crackers, I use Italian style breadcrumbs. I also use only 1lb of beef instead 1.5lb. Ground turkey may be a good substitute for the beef.

After mixing everything together, spoon the meat mixture into a muffin pan and top with ketchup. Make sure that the cups are coated with cooking spray so that the “muffins” come out in one piece.

Simply bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

I served the meat loaf with boiled red potatoes and a side salad. It also pairs nicely with green beans and sweet potatoes.

The meat loaf “muffins” always come out moist and flavorful. They’re a great option for kids and “meat and potatoes” eaters. Hope you enjoy them!