Coming down from a sugar rush. . .

Oh my goodness!  Back to back birthdays are rough on the waistline for sure! And when it's also an extra long weekend so you throw a little sleepover for the kids into the mix, all bets are off on the diet being followed at all!

So as we head back this week, we are going to be focused on some healthier eating--the kind of meals that have vegetables served with them, as an essential component of the meal.

Tonight we are having meatloaf. . .which may or may not be considered healthy eating but at least it's a meal that gets veggies on the plate too and the family will eat the whole meal instead of picking bits and pieces to eat and call a meal.

Our meatloaf goes a little something like this:

1 1/2-2 lbs of ground chuck
1 egg
1/4 c ketchup
1/4 c brown sugar (yeah, I know but it makes it soooo good!)
a few shakes of onion powder
a shake of garlic powder
1/2 to 3/4 c bread crumbs
1/2 c oats (if needed)
salt/pepper to taste

Ha!  See, I have a hard time even telling you what I do for meatloaf because it changes almost every time I make it.  Tonight's meatloaf needed oats added to it because I failed to measure the ketchup and I think I got more than 1/4 cup. . .I was trying to finish up a bottle and it looked like the right amount. Oops.

I like to mix mine up in a ziploc bag.  Read that as "I put it in a ziploc bag so I can get a mini-me to mix it for me while I work on another project in the kitchen"  Yup, that's what I do.  Then we take it out and shape the loaf to put in a glass Pyrex pan that we sprayed lightly with Pam.  It goes in the fridge so the flavors come together. 

It bakes at 375 for 45-60 minutes.  During the last 15 minutes we put ketchup on the top.  I know this step isn't for everyone but I live among ketchup-holics so it's necessary to us.

Sides? 
Well a simple salad is always good. 

Mashed potatoes never hurt either (moderation people, all things in moderation). 

Peas would be an excellent choice to get another green on the table.

Some in my family love green beans (prepared with onion powder, white pepper, salt and a cube of beef bouillon). 

And corn is always a favorite--especially if I fry it.  Oh heck it's easy.  Just melt a tablespoon of butter in the pan and slowly add a pound of frozen corn.  It will sizzle and taste extra yummy. 

Carrots, steamed with lemon butter sprinkled on them and then lightly buttered are always a hit too.

See--healthy food.  Particularly if you eat in moderation.