These mini turkey apple meatloaf muffins make the perfect protein and iron-rich snack for both little ones and adults. Great for school lunches, snacks and as a finger food for babies! Can also be prepped ahead of time and stored in the freezer for a quick and easy snack on the go! {Paleo & Gluten-free}
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been busy testing tons of recipes out for my little guy Leo, who has been downing them all like a champ.
I’m seriously impressed with this kid.
Before starting him on solids, I was quite nervous because I really didn’t know how he would react to all of the textures. But as I said, he truly is a rockstar.
It’s gotten to the point where I love giving him something new to try just to watch him carefully try to pick it up with his tiny fingers and sometimes drop it numerous times on his tray (or on the floor) before actually getting it into his mouth.
He will repeat this exercise over and over again.
Definitely one determined little guy.
Once he finally gets the food into his mouth, he does a little happy dance and squawks like a monkey, and that’s generally followed by a big grin. Clearly the kid likes to eat…just like his mama ;)
One of the latest recipes I’ve been giving him for lunch are these Turkey Apple Meatloaf Muffins.
And the best part is, I’ve been eating them right along with him!
When I initially prepared these mini muffins, it made a batch of 28, so I stuck them in the freezer in a large ziploc bag.
We’ve been crazy busy these days, so it’s been SO handy to simply grab a few for myself and Leo, warm them up and serve them along with some vegetables, which I’ve also prepped in advance.
I’ll usually have them with some brown rice or homemade sweet potato fries and a salad or roasted veggies and Leo will have them with one of his broccoli cheddar quinoa cups or sweet potato lentil tater tots, both of which are also currently residing in the freezer.
Let’s just say our freezer is getting rather full.
Of yummy food, of course ;)
I also started experimenting by giving Leo roasted veggies like zucchini and butternut squash.
Nothing makes a Dietitian mom more proud than seeing her baby eat his veggies, whole grains and protein.
At first, my husband and I were a little bit hesitant about giving him meat with no teeth, but these little meatloaf muffins are the perfect texture for him because they’re soft, moist and easy to chew and swallow.
Not to mention, these little babies are bursting with nutrients!
Let’s do a breakdown of these mini turkey apple meatloaf muffins:
- The turkey provides the protein and iron, which is needed for growth and development. It’s especially important that babies over 6 months of age get sufficient amounts of iron in their diet since their iron stores are depleted after 6 months of age. If you’re not a fan of turkey, you can always sub in ground chicken.
- One of my favourite elements of this recipe is the addition of the shredded apple. It not only provides some extra moisture for the muffins, the apple also lends a flavour that compliments the turkey so nicely. Not to mention, apples are a great source of vitamin C, which helps to better absorb that iron. You can even put a couple of extra thinly sliced apple pieces on top of each muffin. The sweetness brings out such a great flavour, so this step is highly recommended for older adults and children (you might want to skip this step for babies).
- Plus, it makes them look so pretty, don’t you think?
- Last but not least, there are also plenty of healthy fats coming from the ground flaxseed and almond flour, which can help to promote a healthy heart, skin, eyes and hair!
As mentioned, I highly recommend making a batch of these turkey muffins and storing them in the freezer for a quick grab and go meal or snack. Their versatility is hard to beat.
Here are some ways you can add these cute little turkey meatloaf muffins into your life:
- A quick and easy lunch for adults
- A finger food for babies or toddlers (great for baby-led weaning!)
- A pre or post-workout snack
- A back to school lunch
- A cute party appetizer
- Dinner for the whole family!
Feeling inspired?
How would you incorporate these mini muffins?
- 1 lb extra lean ground turkey (can also use ground chicken)
- 1 apple, peeled and shredded (I used gala)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup shredded onion
- ⅓ cup almond flour (can also sub in quick oats or quinoa flakes)
- ⅓ cup ground flaxseed
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- Top each muffin with a couple pieces thinly sliced apple, if desired
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine the turkey, apple, garlic, onion, almond flour, flaxseed, egg, tomato paste, Dijon mustard (and salt and thyme if using).
- Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray. Divide mixture evenly among approximately 28 cups.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted inside registers an internal temperature of 175 degrees F.
If you’re looking for more fun tips, recipes and recommendations for feeding little ones, come on over and join us in our Healthy Little Munchkins Facebook Group! We’d love to have you there!
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Hi! Do you have any suggestions for an egg substitution?
You could try leaving the egg out. I don’t think it would affect the recipe too much since the apple adds that additional moisture and the ground flaxseed acts as a binding agent. Hope it works out for you!
Just wondering if you have tried other apples ? Do you think Granny Smith would work?
I usually use whichever apples we have on hand. Granny Smith would definitely work!
Have you ever tried adding some minced vegetables to the blend?
I haven’t tried adding vegetables to this particular recipe, but I have in other meatloaf muffin recipes and it usually turns out great! Let me know how it turns out if you decide to add some minced veggies!