You can have this entire meatloaf dinner on the table in 20 minutes. My secret for making a quick meatloaf is to bake it on a baking sheet, which allows hot air to circulate all around the meat for quick cooking.

The side couscous dish can be made while the meatloaf is in the oven. I use pearled couscous. It’s pasta that is rolled and toasted into small, round balls.

HELPFUL HINTS:

Any type of olives can be used.

Any type of mushrooms can be used.

Ground bison can be used instead of lean ground beef.

COUNTDOWN:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Assemble ingredients.

Start the meatloaf.

While meatloaf is in the oven, make the couscous.

SHOPPING LIST:

To buy: 3/4 pound 95 percent lean ground beef, 1 container frozen chopped onion, 1 container button mushrooms, 1 jar minced garlic 1 bottle dried sage, 1 bottle dried thyme, 1 container pitted black olives, 1 bottle ketchup, 1 container pearled couscous, 1 bag pine nuts and 1 bunch fresh mint.

Staples: olive oil, salt and black peppercorns.

Mediterranean-style Beef Meatloaf

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup frozen chopped onion

1/2 cup coarsely chopped button mushrooms

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons dried sage

2 teaspoons dried thyme

3/4 pound 95 percent lean ground beef

12 pitted black olives, cut into quarters

2 tablespoons ketchup

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and set aside. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet and add onion, garlic, dried sage, dried thyme and mushrooms. Sauté 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat, until the mushrooms are soft. Remove skillet from the heat and mix in the beef. Add the olives and continue to mix. Make sure all of the vegetables are mixed into the meat. Shape the beef mixture into 2 loaves about 6 inches by 3 inches and place on the baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes. A meat thermometer should read 155 degrees. Remove the meatloaf from oven and carefully with a large spatula place one loaf on each of two dinner plates. Spoon the ketchup over the top of the loaves.

Yield 2 servings.

Per serving: 369 calories (39 percent from fat), 16.2 g fat (4.8 g saturated, 7.7 g monounsaturated), 108 mg cholesterol, 38.7 g protein, 17.1 g carbohydrates, 3.1 g fiber, 316 mg sodium.

Mint Couscous

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

1 cup water

1/2 cup pearl couscous

2 tablespoons pine nuts

1/2 cup fresh mint, torn into small pieces about 1/4 to 1/2-inch

2 teaspoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Add water to a medium-size saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add the couscous, cover with a lid, lower heat and simmer 10 minutes. Drain if any water is still in the pan. Add pine nuts, mint, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Stir with a fork. Divide in half and spoon onto the dinner plates with the meatloaf.

Yield 2 servings

Per serving: 250 calories (31 percent from fat), 8.5 g fat (1.3 g saturated, 3.6 g monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 7.0 g protein, 36.6 g carbohydrates, 4.4 g fiber, 14 mg sodium.

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