A hearty, classic meatloaf recipe - plus just one more day until we go to Vancouver Island!

Travel has always been incredibly important to me, just as it is for many folks the world over, but the older I get the stronger I feel a powerful pull to venture forth and see more and more of the world, be it new destinations or returning favourites. Tomorrow, as we head off for two weeks spent savouring beautiful Vancouver Island, the latter will be the case.

As I haven't been there since I was 14 and my darling Tony has never set foot on the Island, there will certainly be an element of newness and discover to the journey for both of us. We hope to balance "doing" with relaxing, as we're both been working exceptionally hard this year and massively need some genuine R&R of the sort that our lovely fortnight on British Columbia's largest island will hopefully deliver.

Before we tuck the last suitcase in the case however, I wanted to take a quick moment and share a delicious, stick to your ribs kind of recipe that is so awesomely well suited to these early (very nearly!) days of fall: Vegetable Beef Loaf.
 
A few simple, relatively low cost ingredients, many (if not all) of which you may have to hand already, are all it takes to create this filling, taste bud pleasing take on one of the most classic dishes of all time. I love a hearty meatloaf like this, but as red meat and some my GI conditions are anything but BBFs, I always make mine with ground turkey or chicken and both do a wonderful job here. You could of course, if you like, create this dish with your favourite meat alternative crumble, thus making it vegetarian or vegan, just depending on what substitute you used (and if you forgo the eggs and use a vegan type of fat).

I make this with gluten-free bread that I dry out for a few hours on the counter first and enjoy playing around with the seasoning and vegetables, just depending on my mood and what's kicking around in the kitchen on a given day. It both reheats and freezes very well, and can also easily be multiplied many times over, depending on how big the hungry crowd you're planning to feed might be.

Just as when I was a little girl, my favourite way to serve meatloaf is with extra fluffy, buttery mashed potatoes and fresh carrot sticks (a little homemade cinnamon apple sauce on the side never hurt either), and that is how I generally serve it, but a nice rice pilaf, quinoa dish, big green salad, roasted root veggies, or any number of other sides also compliment this vintage meatloaf's juicy, wonderful flavour very well. This is definitely one of those dishes you'll soon find yourself weaving into your dinner rotation often during the coming chilly months as we part ways with summer once again.

{From potlucks to weekday dinners to Halloween party spreads, this timeless, budget friendly, easy to prepare 1950s vegetable meatloaf recipe is sure to be a big hit all through the fall and winter, when comfort food is a culinary must! Image source.}

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While I won't be blogging from the road (I will have my laptop with me though, but doubt I'll be on it all that much), I will be posting oodles of snaps and updates about our exciting adventures on Instagram and Twitter, if you want to follow along with our trip there.

Last year's travels to Calgary, Alberta proved to be one of the most poignant and important experiences of my adult life (as I detailed in this deeply personal post after we returned home) and while I'm not necessarily expecting this jaunt to Victoria to have quite such a profound impact, one never knows how travel will affect, better and alter their lives and I am 100% open to whatever Vancouver Island brings my way.

I love to grow and expand as a person, to broaden my horizons, to learn and to be reminded of just how much there is always is still to discover in the world, and travel excels on all those fronts - and so many more, too!

Until we chat again here, my dears, have a truly fabulous start of autumn and please enjoy (and be sure to leave comments on) all of the wonderful guests posts from the awesome group of vintage bloggers that I have lined up for you while we're off gazing out at the stunning Pacific Ocean for the next couple of weeks.