Do you have a new year’s resolution to start eating better? Consider trying a meatless meal in your weekly routine. By changing the focus of one meal from meat-based protein to vegetables or non-meat protein, you are incorporating more vegetables and fiber-rich protein options onto your family’s dinner plate. This bean and vegetable burrito recipe provides quality protein that is low in fat and high in fiber – plus the sweet potatoes add vitamins A & C. Serve with a spinach side salad or fruit salad to maximize your daily fruit and vegetable intake.
Bean and Vegetable Burrito
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded & minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large baked sweet potato, cooled, peeled & diced
4 10-inch whole wheat flour tortillas
1 can of beans (black, pinto or kidney) rinsed & drained
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed & drained
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons lime juice
3/4 cup reduced fat cheese, such as Monterey Jack or Cheddar
Steps:
1) Preheat oven to 350º.
2) Using a large skillet or pan, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add onion, cooking and stirring until golden brown. Then add jalapeño, chili powder, garlic, oregano and cumin. Cook for one minute. Add 1 tablespoon water and stir.
3) Remove pan from heat. Gently fold in sweet potato, beans, corn, bell pepper and lime juice to create filling.
4) Spoon 2 tablespoons cheese in center of tortilla. Top with 1 cup of filling. Fold sides of tortilla enclosing the filling. Place seam side down on baking sheet. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
5) Serve with salsa or fat-free sour cream.
*Recipe is adapted from the cookbook Treasury of Cooking Healthy Great Tasting Low-fat Recipes. (Lincolnwood, Publications International, Ltd.,1995)
