Moroccan Meatloaf

Growing up, I remember eating beans on three distinct occasions. When burgers were on the grill, a crock of brown sugary, molasses coated, bacon lardon laden beans was sure to be nearby. On New Year’s Day, a ceramic dish of black eyed peas was served for good luck and posterity. Finally, at Tippi’s Tacos, I am nearly positive there were refried beans under the pools of cheese in the enchiladas; although I very well could’ve been eating straight cheese, “gravy”, and corn tortillas for all I know. 

I don’t remember cans of garbanzos, frijoles negroes, or canellinis lining my mother’s pantry. We ate a lot of fresh fruits and veggies alongside pork tenderloins, steak, and roasted chicken, but beyond the occasional Vegetable Lasagna, there were minimal vegetarian meals served in my house. Seeing as beans are a vegetarian meal staple, there wasn’t much opportunity for beans on my mother’s menu.  I am ashamed to admit I didn’t really know what hummus was before college. I am certain I ate it, but did not have a clue about what I was eating. My first taste of falafel, at L’as du Falafel in Paris no less, was mind blowing. 

Fast forward to study abroad when budget was tight and the dollar to euro exchange was abysmal, I had to find an alternative to what was suddenly “pricey” meat. My roommate was a vegetarian and after observing some of her cooking and eating habits, I began replacing beans for meat in stir fry, stews, and other standard student meals. As I transitioned to being a full-time vegetarian for a brief period, beans replaced meat full time. Chick peas replaced grilled chicken on top of a Greek salad; black bean replaced Carnitas in tacos; and beef chili became 4 bean chili. I learned to love, and appreciate, my new friend beans.

Beans and legumes provide a lot of health benefits. High in fiber, they keep you fuller longer and aid digestion (duh). They are full of nutrients and low in fat. They are also cost-effective. A couple of cans of beans cost about $2 while a lb of ground beef or chicken breasts runs over $5.  Dried beans are even cheaper; and taste even better when cooked fresh. 

Somewhere deep down inside of me lives a girl that wants to stick to a budget and eat healthy and every once in a while I let her step up and do the decision making when I’m in the grocery store and staring at the fridge. To that end, in addition to meat in the fridge, I always have a several cans of beans on the shelf. My new habit is to “cut” meat, particularly ground beef and turkey, with beans. What I end up with are meals that cost less per serving, are more filling (fiber!), feel lighter, and have an interesting twist in textures and flavors. Some of my favorite combinations are ground beef with black beans, ground chicken with cannellinis, ground lamb with chicken peas, and most recently, ground turkey with chickpeas. 

I’ve had a yen to make B’Stilla, but with a new long commute out of the city every day, I don’t exactly have time or energy to come home and prepare elaborate meals of weeknights. I decided I would figure out a way to feature the Ras el Hanout that makes B’Stilla so flavorful in a more weeknight friendly fashion. I decided to go with meatloaf because it makes great leftovers and being out in the ‘burbs all day without a car means I need to pack lunches. Also, I wanted to get a spin class in, and I knew the hour or so it would take for the meatloaf to bake fit right in so I could arrive home dehydrated and wobbly legged to a good meal. 

I got out everything I needed for the meatloaf and made this up, proportions and all, as I went along. I served it with sautéed potatoes and kale. It might go well with a yogurt sauce. 

Moroccan Meatloaf

1 lb ground turkey

1 can chickpeas

½ large onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

¾ cup of breadcrumbs (I always use panko)

2/3 cup milk

1 XL egg

½ tsp cayenne

2 tbs ras el hanout

2 tsp ground ginger

2 tbs tomato paste

1 tbs olive oil

1 tbs butter

1 tbs salt, plus more for seasoning along the way

Preheat oven to 325.

Heat butter and oil together in a pan over medium high heat. Add onions. Season with salt, and stir to coat with butter and oil. Reduce heat to medium/medium low and sweat onions for about 10 minutes; but do not let them brown. Add garlic in last couple minutes to let it sweat with the onions. 

While the onions are going, gently combine turkey and chickpeas in a large bowl (probably easiest to use your hands at this point). Add salt, all the spices, tomato paste and gently combine. Beat the egg in to the milk in a separate small bowl and add bread crumbs and egg/milk combo to turkey mixture. Gently combine all the ingredients. Don’t put everything in the bowl at once and combine. Be gentle. Once the onions are done, let them cool slightly then add and complete your final mix in. GENTLE. 

Prepare loaf pan with oil, butter or non stick spray. Add turkey mixture to loaf pan and smooth out top. You can also just pile the turkey mixture on a baking sheet and mold into whatever shape you’d like.  

Bake for an hour to one hour and fifteen minutes. Thermometer should read 160 degrees when done. Let loaf sit for ten, or at least five, minutes before serving.