Ragu Meatloaf

This meatloaf has the flavors of an Italian ragu.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs lean ground beef
• 2 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 2 tbsps balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 fl oz heavy cream
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 3 large eggs

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Sauté onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Stir in parsley. Cook out most of the water.
2. Add vinegar, let it reduce. Add heavy cream and tomato sauce, let it reduce. Lower cooking temperature and keep cooking until mixture resembles a paste. Set aside to cool.
3. Preheat oven to 425 °F (220 °C). In a mixing bowl, mix together ground beef, egg and cheeses. Make sure vegetable mixture has cooled off, then mix it in with the meat.
4. Place the mixture into a loaf pan. Bake at 425 °F for 45-55 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
5. Note: for Atkins Induction Phase, omit vinegar and carrots. For South Beach Diet, omit heavy cream, use lean ground turkey instead of beef, use low-fat mozzarella cheese instead of full-fat, use only 1 tsp olive oil or omit entirely.