GF Home-Style Meatloaf

I grew up hating meatloaf. I didn't eat meatloaf for over fifteen years, but my judgments about it changed the day that I was served a warm, fresh slice of the Costco deli meatloaf. Ever since that encounter with moist, tomatoey, lean beef with hints of brown sugar, I have had meatloaf on the back burner of my mind. I've been tempted to buy it once or twice, but the ingredients list is over fifty words long, and it's full of allergens and trans fats. But I haven't forgotten the taste of those moist morsels, and I have been dreaming of recreating it at home in a allergy-safe and health-promoting way.
Today I started making a list of foods to make on our Christmas getaway, I searched online for "GFCF meatloaf recipe" and found this version from Whole Foods Market. This meatloaf looks and sounds delicious, and I can't wait to make it!

My only two requests for the location of our trip were a fireplace and a kitchenette. As many of you know too well, a vacation in a small town with allergies and no kitchen is not a vacation. It is ruined by stress searching for safe restaurants and healthy options at the local grocery store, or by giving up, cheating on your safe diet, and facing allergic reactions the rest of the time. When I woke up on Friday morning Hubs had arranged the whole thing at the perfect place, even inquiring about extra firewood so I can curl up by the fire to my heart's content! I can't wait to get out of town with my best friend, a good book, and a load of allergy-friendly snacks and meal fixings. I am getting so excited as I anticipate this trip! Fresh air, the fireplace, and PEACE. This is what Christmas is about, anyway - the Prince of Peace coming to us in flesh, forever changing our world. We all deserve this Peace. It's going to be amazing, no matter what.

Oops, I went on a Christmas tangent - I'm back in Meatloaf Zone now.

Here is the recipe:


Home-style Meatloaf (WholeFoodsMarket.com)

Serves 8

Grated carrots and onions add a nutritional boost to this delicious meatloaf, while the mustard and Worcestershire sauce ensure a hearty flavor.

Doesn't this look amazing??

Cooking spray 
2 pounds lean ground beef 
1/2 cup rice cracker crumbs 
1 yellow onion, 1/2 chopped, 1/2 thinly sliced, divided 
1 cup grated carrots 
1 egg, lightly beaten*
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce, divided 
2 to 3 teaspoons gluten-free yellow or Dijon mustard 
1 tablespoon gluten-free Worcestershire sauce 
Salt and pepper to taste 
2 teaspoons brown sugar

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray; set aside. 
In a large bowl, combine beef, cracker crumbs, chopped onion, carrots, egg*, 1/4 cup tomato sauce, mustard, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to prepared pan. In a small bowl, combine remaining tomato sauce with sugar. Pour sauce over the meatloaf and scatter sliced onions over the top. 
Arrange pan on a small baking sheet and bake until cooked through and deep golden brown, about 1 hour. Set aside to let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

*Update - I ended up making this meatloaf with a handful (approx 1/2 cup?) of plain instant mashed potato flakes as a substitute for eggs. It held the meatloaf together and added moisture to the dish. Try it to skip the egg, it works great!