Stuffed 20-Minute Meatloaf

Please excuse the shocking lack of vegetables on the plate.
Since there are greens inside, I served this with
a leafy green salad, chocked full of veggies. 

This is basically a combination of my Stuffed Meatloaf recipe (adapted from the Eat Clean Diet Cookbook), and my mom's 20-minute Meatloaf (from the "Kiss the Cook" McCrillis Family Cookbook).  I like making individual loaves, because they cook up quickly, and I can 'cater' them a bit to our family's different needs/ tastes.  For instance, Ellie, being a toddler, generally scorns anything green and leafy (so she'd probably just eat around the stuffing), but will eat meatballs with veggies mixed in without a question, so I chopped her 'stuffing' smaller, and mixed it right into her loaf, and then covered it completely with tomato topping, so she couldn't see the veggies.  Samuel is still just learning to eat solids, so I mixed less of the stuffing into his loaf and omitted the tomato topping.   
*Note: I make my own bread crumbs from the heels of the bread loaf/ crusts cut off Ellie's sandwiches.  I just pop them into the freezer, then when I need them, whirl them in the blender/ food processor.  It works best if you can bring them to room temperature first, but they can be done from frozen.  When I have time, I will toast/ dry out the bread first, and go ahead and either cut it into small pieces, or grind it up, then freeze it.  You can use whatever type of bread you like.  We are almost exclusively eating sprouted wheat/ grain bread these days, so that's what my bread crumbs are made of.]

Stuffed 20-Minute Meatloaf 
Ingredients:
For the Loaf-
1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 large egg
1 c. bread crumbs [+more or less to make it a moldable consistency]
1/4 c. oat bran/ oat flour [or 1+ cup -- can do all oat bran/ flour or half oats & half bread crumbs]
1 small can tomato paste
1/2 to 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp Italian Seasonings/ Herbs de Provence [optional, but a nice addition]
1 tsp onion powder [or 2 Tbsp finely chopped onions]

For the Stuffing-
2 c. fresh baby spinach, chopped
1 c. fresh arugula, chopped
[I found this fantastic mix of greens called the Power Mix, which includes spinach, arugula, beet greens, & kale]
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
dash of salt/ pepper
butter for sauteing (about 1 Tbsp?)

For the Sauce-
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp parsley flakes

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix all the loaf ingredients together with clean hands (don't forget to take off your rings!), until everything is evenly incorporated, and the mixture is manageable.  Add more dry ingredients (bread crumbs/ oat bran or flour) as needed to make it not sloppy, but not too much, or it will be quite dry.  Shape into individual loaves about the size of your fist (for adults, smaller for children) and place on a cookie sheet with sides or into a casserole dish [I use a jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper], leaving space between the loaves.  Be sure to leave enough meat mixture to make 'tops' for your loaves  Make an indent in each loaf (like you do mashed potatoes for the gravy), and set aside.

In a large fry pan, heat butter over medium heat and saute onions and garlic until soft.  Add salt & pepper, stir to incorporate.  Add your greens, stirring to coat in butter/ onion mix.  Cook, stirring frequently, until greens are wilted, about 5 minutes.  Do not cover, as you want as much moisture to evaporate as possible.  Once the greens are wilted, put into a sieve over a bowl and let sit for a few minutes, to drain any remaining liquid, pressing down with the back of a spoon, if necessary.  (if the stuffing is to wet, it will make the loaf soggy.)  Scoop into meatloaves and put the 'toppers' on top, sealing with the loaf, if possible.  Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, pour sauce over and bake for 5 more minutes.