Forget Beef: Think Beans and Rice in Your Burrito

When you think of your favorite Tex Mex burrito, is it always filled with beef? Or at least chicken or fish?

Take a walk on the burrito historic side and try one with rice and beans instead.

Placing beef in Mexican foods is something of a United States “invention,” because folks in Mexico first pretty much used beef as a side dish or sort of as a garnishment, not as the main ingredient in their meals. So burritos often were filled with beans and rice.

If you’d like to try a beans and rice burrito, we’ve come across a nifty recipe, courtesy of Kim Hardisan of Florida, via TasteOfHome.com.

You will need (for eight servings):

• One and a half cups of water
• One and a half cups on uncooked brown rice
• One medium diced green pepper
• Half a cup of chopped onion
• One teaspoon of olive oil
• One teaspoon of minced garlic
• One teaspoon of ground cumin
• One tablespoon of chili powder
• One-eight teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
• One 15-ounce can of black beans. Rinse and drain them.
• Eight 8-inch warmed flour tortillas
• One cup of your preferred salsa
• Reduced-fat sour cream as well as shredded cheddar cheese are optional

To make (should take about 25 minutes):

• Take a small saucepan and bring the water to boil, then add the rice and return to boil.
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer for five minutes.
• Remove from heat and let stand for five minutes, or until rice absorbs the water.
• At the same time, take a large skillet and sauté the green peppers and onions in the oil for three to four minutes, or until tender.
• Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
• Stir in the chili powder, pepper flakes and cumin until combined.
• Add the beans and rice and cook and stir for four to six minutes, or until thoroughly heated.
• Take about half a cup of the filling and place it off-center on each tortilla and then top with two tablespoons of the salsa.
• Fold the tortillas’ sides and ends over the filling and roll up.
• Serve with sour cream/cheddar cheese, if desired.

A rice and bean burrito is very healthy. It’s low fat and provides good carbs (the beans). One burrito (without cheese/sour cream) is 290 calories, has no cholesterol (although it does provide six grams of fat, one gram of which is unsaturated fat) and provides 9 grams of protein.

We don’t have beef and bean burritos listed here on our Mattito’s menu, but if you’d really like one, just let your server know.

Check out a Mattito’s location near you soon. We look forward to serving you!

Image courtesy of Justin Smith via Flickr.com