The Most Delicious Veggie Meatloaf Recipe of All-Time (PLUS How to Make World Famous Veggie Powder)

Introducing: Veggie Powder

What is Veggie Powder? This is where you take all your vegetables that you might not otherwise want to use (stalks of Swiss chard, cauliflower and broccoli, asparagus ends, etc) and vegetables that are hard to preserve (mushrooms, eggplant, cabbage, other leafy vegetables, etc) and anything else you have on hand and dehydrate them. When they are thoroughly dry, store in an airtight jar.

To make the powder, just put a cup or two of these vegetables into blender and turn it into a powder. You can add herbs and vegetables for flavor (chives, onions, etc) and color (spinach, if you want green or tomatoes if you want red, etc) and anything else you like. The only limit is personal taste and what you have on hand. I make my powder on the spot, as needed. Otherwise, the humidity turns it into a veggie brick. But if you live in the arid west, you can make a bunch of powder at once to always have on hand.

Use this powder as a soup base or add it to casseroles. Add ½ cup Veggie Powder to your favorite bread recipe along with a tablespoon your favorite herb for a Vegetable/Herb Bread. One of my favorite uses for Veggie Powder is as a substitute for bread crumbs in meat loaf. You can substitute all or a part of bread crumbs with Veggie Powder and the result is a very moist, flavorful meat loaf with a complete serving of vegetables in each serving of meat loaf.

Veggie Meatloaf
This makes a tasty meatloaf with nearly an entire serving of vegetables in every serving.

1½ lb ground beef
2 eggs
¼ - ½ C bread crumbs (optional)
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ C chopped onion
½ C Veggie Powder (about 2 C dried veggies, any
combination. Some of the veggies should
compliment the meat, like onions, mushrooms,
tomatoes.)
1 tsp season salt
Mix well, press into a 8X5 loaf pan, top with sauce:
Sauce
¼ C barbeque sauce (I like the spicy varieties)
¼ C ketchup
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp water

Mix ingredients well and spread on top of meat loaf. Cover with foil, bake at 350º for 45-60 minutes.
Variation: Form into meat balls and brown meat balls in a pan.

Transfer meatballs to a shallow dish and bake at 350º for 15 minutes or until cooked thoroughly.