My Black Bean Burrito Has Runneth Over



I think I've mentioned before that whenever I attempt to make a sandwich in any form - from the simplest Peppridge Farm loaf to the most elegant of crepes - I wind up with a quantity of filling that threatens to take over the world - or, at the very least, my modest-sized plate. My stab at black bean burritos was, of course, no different, and I wound up with an open-faced burrito that, though delicious, could not be satisfyingly rolled up and chowed down on in the appropriate way. I'm working on it. Until then, be wary of my overly-ambitious filling ratios. As in - cut this one in half for a happy, manageable, pick-it-up-with-two-hands burrito experience. It isn't that I stuff myself to the point of explosion with food - I often find the amount of food in my sandwiches/wraps/you-get-the-picture to be adequate (perhaps a wee bit large, but never to the point of discomfort), but the ratio tends to be off. 

The other side note I'd like to make about this recipe is that I made it before my shocking, earth-shattering discovery (okay, I exaggerate) that I have been blessed with the High Triglyceride gene, and as I look back on the ingredients now, it's easy to see that I do, in fact, have an affinity for carbohydrates that could easily be trimmed back on. This black bean burrito is a prime example. Count the carbs with me now: black beans? Check. Quinoa? Check. Whole grain wrap? Check. Corn? Check. None of these carbs are bad - in fact, they're quite fantastic, and several of them contain magical fiber to make my carbohydrate indulgences a smidgen less sinful. But all 4 in one burrito? 

It's a bit much.

If you don't have any cholesterol/triglyceride/etc. issues to worry about and you think all four carbs sound phenomenol together, go for it. In fact, even if you do have triglyceride issues, one meal every once in a while like this won't kill you. I try not to get too bogged down on this blog about nutrition, but because a healthful diet (with the obligatory chocolatey dessert thrown in for good measure) is such a big part of who I am and, therefore, what I write about, I like to at least put a little red flag up when I do share with you something that could, for some people, be troublesome. If you think this might be you, this meal would be equally tasty without the burrito as a stir-fry type meal, or with the burrito but without the quinoa filling. Or served over some salad greens.

But enough of that. Back to how deliciously enjoyable this burrito was, even if I did have to eat it with a knife and a fork.  I did make some pretty significant changes to the original, and what I bit into was a mildly spicy, occasionally sweet, perfectly balanced blend of vegetables, condiments, and spice. Each flavor came through beautifully. So no matter how you choose to eat this - with your hands or utensils, wrapped up in a tortilla or pita or dolloped over a bowl full of greens - you will enjoy every last bite...if your taste buds are anything like mine, at least.

Black Bean Burrito, adapted from Cooks.Com
Yield: 4 servings

The Ingredients*
4 whole wheat flour tortillas
3/4 - 1 cup cooked quinoa 
1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained if canned
1-2 jalapeno peppers, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup canned whole kernel corn
dried oregano and ground cumin, to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 - 1/2 cup fat free sour cream
1 cup spinach
1/2 cup salsa

The Method
Warm the tortillas.** Meanwhile, combine the quinoa, beans, peppers, corn, and seasonings in a medium-large bowl and toss to combine. Either divide evenly amongst the four tortillas or, optionally, warm the mixture in a skillet over medium-low heat for several minutes first. Once the tortillas are filled with the quinoa and bean mixture, top each with the sour cream,spinach, and salsa before rolling up (if possible!) to eat.


Notes:
*These ratios reflect my suggestions for trimming down my over-stuffed original to be more manageable as an actual rolled burrito, not the ratios that I actually used when making this dish.
**This can be done in several ways: (1) Wrap the tortillas in aluminum and place in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 10 minutes or so. (2) Place the wrapped tortillas in a toaster oven. (3) Microwave the tortillas (4) Heat them in a dry skillet over medium heat - though this final method will involve rapid heat loss, so only do this if you can serve the burritos promptly.

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