OMG, y’all! You know how you hated a food when you were a child, and you grew up and now you want to make up for all the years you wouldn’t eat it?

That’s me and meatloaf.

But now my husband can’t eat red meat, so we can’t have meatloaf at home.

BUT NOW WE CAN!

Kroger has come out with a plant-based line, including ground “beef” that’s made mostly from pea protein (no mushrooms, for my mushroom-averse friends). It’s called Emerge, and it’s awesome!

So I got some, and I made meatloaf, and it was BELICIOUS!

I used my regular meatloaf recipe, and it was good the first night and better every day after that, as long as it lasted.

MA’S MEATLOAF

• 1 pound ground beef or Emerge
• if using Emerge, add a tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 egg or egg substitute
• bread crumbs or dry oatmeal to bind the egg
• sweet peppers
• onion
• chopped carrot
• chopped celery
• half a can of tomato sauce
• other half of the can and honey barbecue sauce to fill the can

Mix all together. Shape into a loaf. If you use real meat, put a rack inside the baking pan, cover it with foil, and poke holes in for the grease to drain away. If you use Emerge, just put it in a greased pan. Cover the loaf with the tomato/barbecue mixture. Bake at 350F for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

WARNING! This is NOT for vegetarians and vegans who gag at the texture and taste of meat. This is for flexitarians and others who love meat but are trying to (or must) cut down on animal consumption.

I’m posting today at Fatal Foodies about a dish that looks vegan but isn’t. Kind of the opposite of this post, actually.

A WRITING PROMPT FROM ME TO YOU: Write about something or someone the opposite of its or their appearance.

MA