Low-Carb Italian Meatloaf

2 lbs ground turkey
1/2 cup pesto (I used the bottled kind)
1/2 cup of crushed almonds
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese
2/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 egg
salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Have ready a shallow 11-by-7-inch baking dish (if you don't have this, use whatever you have and just form the meatloaf so that it fits). In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Mix gently and thoroughly with your hands. Form the mixture into a rough loaf in the baking dish.
2. Bake until the loaf is firm, the top is richly brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 160 degrees F (it was about an hour when I did it, but you'd have to keep checking the first time). Let the loaf stand in the pan for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

I recently had a very bad craving for meatloaf, and found a basic recipe for Italian Meatloaf in a cookbook my soon-to-be-mother-in-law gave me (Simple Suppers by Williams-Sonoma). Unfortunately I am on South Beach Phase 1. Also, I had a lot of ground turkey, and no ground beef and pork (which was called for in the original recipe). So I thought of using the ground turkey obviously, and thought about what could replace breadcrumbs. I put in the parmesan to add a dry ingredient that might help hold the entire thing, but it didn't seem enough. So I put in some crushed almonds as well. It worked out perfectly and was absolutely delicious. I ended up eating this for an entire weekend, which never happens because I hate eating the same thing for consecutive meals. Don't be concerned if the mixture seems a little too wet, as long as it can be formed. It will dry up a bit after it's cooked.

Enjoy!

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