Big Burritos Rule
There’s a kind of hunger that is best satisfied by a big, fat burrito.
Something about rolling the whole meal into a bundle that you can hold in your hands makes the burrito an ideal food delivery system. A truly epic burrito layers in complementary flavors and textures, to make each bite exciting. My Big Fat Burrito delivers a riot of flavors in every mouthful.
And you don’t need a fork.
You don’t have to take my word for it. Big burritos are big business, and places like Chipotle crank out millions of them every day. It’s easy to skip the takeout line, and make your own burritos. At home, you can stuff them with tender roasted veggies, quinoa and avocado.
Big Burritos are Great Meal Prep
Bookmark this recipe for your meal prep days, and you will be set for dinner tonight, and lunch tomorrow. The pack-ability of the burrito is the reason it is such a take-out favorite, and you can set yourself up for great eating. Just wrap each burrito in waxed paper or plastic wrap, and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
In my big burrito, I started by roasting a bunch of veggies, going heavy on the sweet potatoes. The deep orange sweet potato strips are butter-soft and sprinkled with smoky chipotle for a little smoky kick. Zucchini, red bell pepper and onions roast in a separate pan, and become tender and juicy. Strips of mildly hot jalapeno roast with them, for a subdued heat and chili flavor. Of course there is plenty of garlic.
When the veggies are ready, black beans get stirred in, to make a meal of it. If you are craving more protein, you can use double the beans, and expect the recipe to make an extra burrito.
(Check out my Sushi-Burritos here.)
Whole Grains Make a Better Burrito
To accompany the veggies and beans, I cook nutty quinoa and stir in cilantro, instead of the white rice most burritos feature. Any time you can swap a whole grain like quinoa for a refined grain, you are going to add protein, fiber, and an array of nutrients that are lost when the bran and germ are removed. Of course, I went with a whole wheat tortilla, but you can select from the growing assortment of tortillas, from gluten free teff to low carb gf cauliflower. If you buy smaller tortillas, you’ll have to make smaller burritos.
When it’s all ready to roll, I slice a tender, creamy avocado to add to each burrito. It adds plenty of creamy richness, making cheese unnecessary. A drizzle of your preferred hot sauce customizes your burrito, and adds a vinegary tang.
It’s a great feeling, when you walk into your house with an empty stomach, and know that you have big fat burritos in the refrigerator. Because Big Fat Burritos Rule.
Big Fat Burrito
Ingredients
- 1 cup white quinoa
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1 large sweet potato french fry cut
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle
- 1 teaspoon salt divided, plus more to taste
- 1 medium zucchini julienned
- 1 large red bell pepper sliced
- 1 large onion slivered
- 2 large jalapenos slivered
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 15 ounce can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 large avocado
- 6 large whole wheat tortillas
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a small pot, bring 1 1/2 cup water to a boil, add quinoa, and reduce to low. Cover and cook for 14-15 minutes. Take off the heat, let stand until cooled, then stir in the cilantro and a pinch of salt.
- Slice sweet potatoes and place in a 9×13 pan, toss with half of the oil, the chipotle and half of the salt. Cover pan with foil and roast for 20 minutes covered, then stir and uncover and roast for 5 to brown.In a large roasting pan, combine the zucchini, pepper, onion, jalapeno, garlic and remaining oil and salt. Roast uncovered for 20, let cool on a rack.
- In a large bowl, combine the sweet potato and zucchini mixture, add the black beans and toss to mix.Slice avocado in the shell.
- On each tortilla, put a half cup of quinoa, a cup of vegetable mixture, and a couple of slices of avocado. Roll up and serve with hot sauce.
