Paleo Bacon Meatloaf

I don't like the term meatloaf. It makes me uncomfortable. I feel as though those two words should not be intertwined. While growing up, people seemed to always blast meatloaf for being a log a sketch meat and a ghetto meal that can be packaged into a can and served like dog food. You don't agree? I don't care, that's the picture that was embedded in my mind since birth. My mom never made it for me, thanks a lot mom!! Kidding. But my views were suddenly altered when my badass girlfriend Joanna introduced me to Paleo Meatloaf that she had found from CrossFit Verve. It's ridiculously simple, cheap, and it's freaking topped with bacon...anything topped with bacon is good, it's science. I even made my own BBQ sauce to top it off with. If you think meatloaf is dog food too, thanks for supporting my viewpoints, but seriously try this. It's a paleo food staple and should occur often in your meal plans.


Oh, and by the way, I've been playing around with BBQ sauce recipes, but none of them seem to taste like actual BBQ sauce, more like a sweetened tomato paste, but it's still flippin good so don't hate! Play around with it yourself with maybe adding a bit of honey or something else to sweeten it up!

-My version of CrossFit Verve's wonderful recipe-

What you need:

• 2-2.5 lb grass fed ground beef
• 1 cup almond meal/flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons onion powder
• 11 sliced uncured bacon, 2 sliced cooked and diced

What you do:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Dice up your 2 pieces of bacon and throw in a frying pan to cook up for about 5-7 minutes.
3. While the bacon is cooking, mix together all other ingredients (except for your 9 slices of bacon) in a large bowl. Once your 2 pieces of bacon are done cooking, add them to the bowl and fully incorporate into the mix.
4. Now grab 2 bread loaf pans and add an equal amount to both. Top the meat off with bacon.

5. Cook for 45 minutes.
6. While the meatloaf is cooking, make your BBQ sauce!

BBQ Sauce:
Based on this recipe:
What you need:

• 1 (6oz) can tomato paste
• 1 onion, minced
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup water or broth
• 2 tablespoons apple butter (optional)
• 1 tablespoon ground mustard (no sugar added)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• pinch or two of ground cloves
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• splash of hot sauce, to taste

What you do:

1. In a large frying pan, add some olive oil (or other fat) and brown the onion--about 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and stir together to cook a bit more.
3. Add all other ingredients and mix together, then let simmer for 10-15 minutes (or longer if you have time-I usually want to eat as quick as possible).
4. Now plop that sauce on top of your meatloaf and store the rest in a cute Tupperware container in the fridge.

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Grocery List Helper:

• Grass Fed Beef: Bought 3.5lbs on sale at Sunflower Market for $3.99/lb and froze it until I made this recipe.
• Almond Flour: I usually buy mine at Vitamin Cottage for $5.99-7.99/lb or Whole Foods for $8.99/lb. If you use this often, purchase it online, much better deals!
• Uncured bacon: Sunflower Market in the meat section.
• Spices: King Soopers; Kroger brand
• Tomato Paste: King Soopers
• Apple Butter: Whole Foods--no sugar added!!!
• Onions: Sunflower Market: On sale!!