Recipe of the Day: Bean Burritos

 

 

Love It: You know, even if they didn’t have great nutritional value, I’d still love pinto beans. I especially love them refried, but they’re also good whole, as in this recipe. Pinto beans and cheese are a match made in Tex-Mex heaven.

Fear It: It’s come to my attention that tortillas often have an insanely high calorie count. I remember going on a diet in Vegas and setting out for the grocery store with the intention of buying tortillas as a bread replacement for my sandwiches, only to be shocked by the discovery that a small wrap could have as many calories as two hearty slices. Look for high-fiber tortillas to save yourself the pain.

Teach It: If you are like me at all, then you hate having to spend free time after work whipping up tomorrow’s lunch just after finishing cooking and cleaning up dinner. In college I would make huge batches of beans and rice once a month or so and fill my freezer with individually wrapped burritos so I could grab and go in the morning. I made smaller ones, though, so they’d heat up faster, but I imagine you could thaw these in the fridge overnight.

Eat It: Like I said above, frozen homemade burritos are a great lunch staple. Make your lunch a fiesta by packing some cinnamon and a rice pudding cup for a horchata-like dessert.

Bean Burritos
Source: Everyday Food
Yield: 8 servings

• ¾ cup rice (brown or white)
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 2 medium onions, chopped
  
• 4 cloves, garlic chopped
  
• 1 jalapeño chile, chopped (ribs and seeds removed, for less heat)
  
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
  
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  
• 3 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  
• 1 box frozen corn kernels (10 ounces)
  
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced
  
• 8 burrito-size (10-inch) flour tortillas
  
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 ounces)
  
• Salsa and sour cream (optional)
  

1. Cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add onions, garlic, jalapeño, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add tomato paste, and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
3. Add beans and 1 ½ cups water; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Add corn; cook to heat through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in scallions.
4. Heat tortillas according to package instructions; fill with rice, bean mixture, and cheese.
5. Assemble: Mound ¼ cup rice, ¾ cup bean mixture, and ¼ cup cheese on one side of tortilla. Fold, and hold in sides. Starting from filled end, holding sides in as you work, tightly roll into a bundle. Place on a baking sheet, seam side down, and prepare remaining burritos.
6. Serve immediately, with salsa and sour cream, if using, or wrap individually in plastic and freeze up to 3 months.

Notes:

Note: Before wrapping individually, freeze burritos on a baking sheet so they don’t come apart in the process; then put back in freezer.

Reheating From Frozen:

1. Microwave and oven: Remove frozen burritos from plastic wrap. Place on a microwave-safe plate; microwave on high for 3 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet; bake at 450° until crispy, about 10 minutes. This is our favorite quick method.

2. Oven only: Remove frozen burritos from plastic wrap; rewrap individually in aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet; bake at 450°, 40 minutes; remove foil, and bake to crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. (To reheat defrosted burritos, remove any wrapping, and bake for 10 minutes.)

3. Microwave only: Remove frozen burritos from plastic wrap. Place on a microwave-safe plate, covered with a microwave-safe bowl, and defrost at high power for 3 to 4 minutes; uncover, and microwave on high, 3 to 4 minutes longer.

Nutritional notes:

Per serving: (without salsa and sour cream) 519 calories; 18.6 grams fat; 18.7 grams protein; 70.5 grams carbohydrates; 7.4 grams fiber

Download Bean Burritos into MacGourmet.