I never thought meatloaf could be made in a slow cooker, but this one is even more moist than the oven-baked version. I layer the meatloaf with roasted pepper, goat cheese and green onions to give it a more sophisticated appearance and flavor.

RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS
1. Place the ground beef, breadcrumbs, garlic, basil, egg, green onions and 3 Tbsp of the barbecue sauce in a large bowl and stir until all the ingredients are well combined.

2. Roll out 2 feet of foil and fold in half. Line the container of the slow cooker with the foil, allowing it to come up the sides. Lightly coat with cooking spray. Place half of the beef mixture in the foil-lined slow cooker and form into a 6-inch square. Top with the roasted pepper and goat cheese. Pat the remaining beef mixture over the filling, enclosing the loaf. Spread the remaining barbecue sauce on the top of the beef mixture.

3. Cook on the high setting for 2 hours or on the low setting for 4 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and serve.

INGREDIENTS
MEATLOAF:
1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup seasoned dry breadcrumbs
2 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1 large egg
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1/4 cup barbecue sauce

FILLING:
1/3 cup finely chopped roasted red pepper
1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese (about 1 1/2 oz)

GARNISH:
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or parsley

NOTES
Nutritional Analysis per Serving

Calories 196
Protein 20 g
Fat 9.3 g
Saturated Fat 3.8 g
Carbohydrates 8.6 g
Cholesterol 80 mg
Sodium 478 mg
Fiber 0.8 g

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours (high) or 4 hours (low)

Make Ahead: n/a

Serves 6

Nutrition Watch:Goat cheese is lower in fat, calories and cholesterol than hard cheeses. It also provides more calcium and fewer carbohydrates than cream cheese