Vegalicious

I remember when I was pregnant with Sprout, especially toward the end of pregnancy, I felt hungry all the time, curiously mostly at night.  I will never forget my night trips to the fridge. Between hunger pangs and Sprout kicking my ribs, I don’t think I ever slept.

When Sprout came, as a new parent and a business owner, I was tired all the time.  I was not getting enough rest. My midwives’ recommendation to “sleep when your baby sleeps” were nothing more than a distant dream.  When I would get super tired we would pack into our car and head out to grab a bite, because I needed a break from cooking, at least one night of the week. So, Chipotle became our go-to place for a satisfying, quick veg meal. Their veggie burrito became my meal of choice.

Thankfully for me, Chipotle kindly offers, at least then,  as much food as you can fit into a tortilla.  I was nursing, so, one honking burrito, packed to the brim with extra vegetables, was inhaled in one meal.  I remember the surprised stares from Chipotle’s service personnel–“how could such a small person eat so much!”  I think they probably changed their “no limit on veggies” policy after they had me for a customer. 

However, as good as their burritos tasted, you know, the best and the healthiest foods you can find are those made in your own kitchen.   So, I began to make my own  Chipotle style vegan burrito. It is so much better than the original!

Made with fresh, organic, GMO free ingredients, with the amount of salt I can control, and without any oils, my burrito recipe is much more delicious.  It is one of Hubby’s favorite meals.  In fact, I have to be his portion controller, because he easily gets carried away by enjoying bursts of flavors of my veggie burritos that he forgets to stop eating until it is one bite too much. (Don’t tell him I told you this :).)

The best part of my “Better than Chiopotle’s” homemade burritos is that I can pre-make some of the ingredients and freeze them to be used in a moment’s notice–brown rice, beans, and even tortillas can be prepped and frozen to be enjoyed at any time, to reduce the time you would spend in the kitchen later.  This way you never have to go hungry, or stand staring into the abyss of your fridge wondering what you should have for dinner.  With these ingredients defrosting, you can get straight to making fresh burrito salsa, then warming up beans and rice–the two time consuming ingredients that otherwise would take up to an hour to cook.

Burrito Salsa-Mole

So, let’s start with my burrito salsa recipe.  At Chipotle’s they offer guacamole, salsa and corn separately.  But who wants to dirty so many dishes?  So, I combine all of these into one simple one-pot salsa.

Freshly made salsa+guac (should I call is salsa-mole?) is the key ingredient in this burrito.  Cilantro, which is rich in antioxidants, essential oils, vitamins, and dietary fiber, will pop in your mouth and bring the breeze of summer into your entire being.

Better Than Chipotle’s Veggie Burrito Recipe

Veggie Burrito Bowl

If you want to make this dish gluten free, it’s very simple to do–skip the tortilla and make a veggie burrito bowl instead.  That’s my favorite way to indulge.  It’s low in calories, high in fiber, and rich in nutrients.

This is one of our favorite meals, and I am sure it will become yours too. Rich in flavor, low in calories, and full of nutrition–a perfect health and weight loss formula!

I wish you bon appetit!