chicken and ginger mini meatloaves - oven-baked in muffin cups, low-histamine

This is the recipe for the day you have some energy and want to spend it on a future day when you will not. The ingredient list is short: carrot, ground chicken, thyme, mint, ground ginger, salt. Steam the carrot, puree it with a little fat, mix it into the chicken, spoon it into muffin cups, and bake. A little over 30 minutes start to finish, most of it hands off while the oven does the last part alone.

Ground ginger, even the dried kind sitting in your spice cabinet, is fully AIP-compliant and does real work here, warming the dish without the punch of spices the protocol leaves out for now. Chicken is a solid source of niacin, involved in how your cells turn food into usable energy, and the pureed carrot is where the beta-carotene sits, the raw material behind the vitamin A your body makes from it, tied to healthy mucous membranes and immune signaling.

Make a full batch on a Sunday. Let the meatloaves cool completely before you refrigerate or freeze them, and you will have lunches ready for the week that ask nothing of you beyond opening the container.

Ingredients

• 1 large carrot (4 oz), chopped
• 2 tablespoons lard (or other solid animal fat, or palm shortening)
• 1 lb ground chicken
• 2 teaspoons chopped thyme leaves
• 1 heaped tablespoon finely chopped mint leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1+1/4 teaspoons sea salt

*Fully AIP elimination-compliant as written. No swaps required.*

Method

Preheat your oven to 375 F. Grease a standard muffin tin with a little lard or solid fat.

Steam the chopped carrot until completely tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the cooked carrot to a blender or food processor along with the lard and process until smooth. Let this puree cool slightly before proceeding.

Add the ground chicken, thyme, mint, ground ginger, and sea salt to the food processor with the carrot puree. Pulse until just combined - you want the ingredients to come together without overworking the mixture, which can make the texture tough.

Divide the mixture evenly among the prepared muffin cups, pressing it in gently and smoothing the tops.

Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, until the meatloaves are cooked through and lightly golden on top. A thermometer inserted in the center should read 165 F. Let them rest in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out. They will firm up slightly as they cool.

Serve warm, or allow to cool completely and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Air fryer variation

Prepare the mixture as above. Divide into individual portions and shape into small oval loaves directly on a piece of parchment cut to fit your air fryer basket. Air fry at 375 F for 16 to 18 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned on top. Check internal temperature (165 F). Air fryer times are estimated and untested; verify in your kitchen.

*Adapted from healingfamilyeats.com*