Fruit in a meatloaf? What were we thinking? Trust us; we thought the exact same thing when Crystal’s sister, Cindy, suggested it one night in our test kitchen. But since Cindy is usually right (don’t even bother trying to play a game of Trivial Pursuit with her), we gave it a whirl and it worked! In fact, the sweetness from the mandarin orange brings an exciting new twist to this old-time dish. As soon as you try it, you’ll understand. Substituting ground turkey keeps the calories and fat in check, and when served with a side of stir-fried veggies and brown rice, this healthy meal is sure to become a regular household favorite.

　　

Ingredients

makes 6 servings

　　Cooking spray

　　1 pound ground turkey breast

　　1/2 pound lean ground pork

　　1 cup chopped green onions, green parts only

　　1 cup panko bread crumbs

　　1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

　　1/2 cup chopped mandarin orange (drained, if using canned)

　　1/2 cup canned water chestnuts, chopped and drained

　　1/2 cup hoisin sauce

　　3 garlic cloves, minced

　　2 large egg whites

　　1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

　　1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

　　

Step 2

Combine the turkey, pork, green onions, panko bread crumbs, bell pepper, orange, water chestnuts, 1/4 cup of the hoisin sauce, the garlic, egg whites, soy sauce, ginger, and salt in a large bowl.

　　

Step 3

Put the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and spread the remaining 1/4 cup hoisin sauce over the top of the meatloaf. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 180°F. Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.

　　

note

Step 4

Use a small funnel to quickly and easily separate an egg. The white will go through, while the yolk will stay in the top of the funnel.

　　From The Casserole Queens Cookbook by Crystal Cook & Sandy Pollock. Copyright © 2011 by Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock; Food photographs copyright © 2011 by Ben Fink. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers.Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock, the Casserole Queens, have been delivering casseroles in Austin, Texas, since 2006; they also teach cooking classes at Whole Foods stores in the area. They have been featured on Food Network's Throwdown! with Bobby Flay and Bobby Flay Radio on Sirius XM, as well as on television news and radio talk shows.