Meatloaf with Quinoa

I was originally going to do this with lamb, but try finding ground lamb at Target.  The already-inexpensive pound of ground pork had a $1-off coupon stuck to it.  All ingredients included, it was about 75¢ per serving.

The flavors are very similar to keftas, but with a quinoa filler.  I figured that would up the nutritional value a lot more than plain breadcrumbs.  Quinoa, it turns out, blends very well with cilantro.  I love when an experiment results in a new flavor discovery.

And the spell-checker now recognizes quinoa!

1 lb low-fat ground meat
1/2 C dry quinoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 C chopped green onions
1/2 C chopped cilantro

1.  In a bowl, knead together ground meat, spices, onions, and cilantro.  Set in refrigerator to let the flavors meld, one hour.

2.  In a saucepan, boil 1-1/4 C water.  Stir in quinoa, reduce to simmer, and cook until water has been absorbed.  Set aside to cool until meat is ready.

3.  Preheat oven to 350º.  Knead quinoa into meat mixture.  Spread evenly in a loaf pan and bake until thermometer reads 165º, about 1 hour.  Drain off excess fat and juices, then let loaf rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 4 to 6

Difficulty rating  π