I know, I know... it's been forever since my last post. After the semester finished up I went into hibernation for a while to allow my brain to untie itself from all the knots resulting from my courseload; then, of course, were the holidays; then more hibernation... and baking. :-]
During the final weeks of school, I came to see eating as something not so much to be enjoyed through a lengthy sit-down meal in the comfort of my home or the company of a friend. (I know-- it was awful!) I ate by the light of fluorescent soul-suckers in the library, all hours of the day and night (just a little less romantic than candlelight). The tortilla (the giant burrito-sized torts that I have only been able to find at the Pioneer Food Co-op) became my best friend; I discovered that you can pretty much make a burrito out of anything. Except maybe soup. If I figure out a way to make a burrito out of soup, I'll let you know.
Speaking of soup... it's tangent time!
When I began writing this post today, I was sitting in my apartment wearing a super-comfy set of pjs (courtesy of my lovely friend Erika), looking out the window at the snow and lingering over the most beautiful creamy cauliflower soup. It was a picture-perfect moment.
Alrighty, back to the originally intended subject of this post. Does the fact that I became a convenience-eater hold any significance for you, you ask?
Why, of course it does.
If it is true that just about any dish can be burrito-fied, just think of the possibilities! There's the almighty (and classic) black-beans-and-rice burrito, the breakfast burrito (scrambled eggs and veggies), the veggie pizza burrito (yes, I'll post a recipe), and the stir-fry burrito (and yes, a recipe for this one as well)-- and the magic of all these is that:
1) they require relatively few ingredients (quite a few of which overlap),
2) they only require a skillet and a spatula (and some recycled aluminum foil to wrap 'em up in), and
3) you can take them with you anywhere.
You can literally wrap up just about anything in these suckers! As I mentioned before, make sure you get the big tortillas-- these actually indicated on the package, as I mentioned, that they are "burrito size". You're looking for about a 12-inch diameter here, people. Remember: these are going to have your entire meal in them; don't skimp on the wrapping power. You will regret it if you do.
Veggie Pizza Burrito (makes 2 burritos; adjust as needed)
2 medium vine-ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 medium bell peppers, chopped (you can just do green or mix-and-match colors... try purple if you can find them!)
2 good-sized cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 small-to-medium sweet yellow onion, chopped
1 lb frozen broccoli florets or frozen spinach
handful (about 1/2 cup) fresh mushrooms, sliced
extra virgin olive oil
salt and red pepper flakes (or just pepper... but red peppers are more pizza-ish)
1 cup (or more!) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese-- mix in some provolone and it'll be just heavenly... yummy
fresh or dry (to taste):
- basil
- oregano
- marjoram
- rosemary
Next, add the chopped tomatoes and turn off heat; fold in with a spatula until incorporated into the veggie mix but don't let it sit on the heat long enough for them to cook.
Divide between 2 Maria & Ricardo's giant tortillas, and sprinkle generously with cheese while veggies are still hot; if you need a little extra melty goodness, you can quickly broil them in the oven or zap them in the microwave.
To wrap: arrange the filling in the center of the wrap. Fold the edge that's closest to you over the mound of goodness in the center and tuck it in to create the proper "burrito" shape. Then, using both hands, take the side edges of the tortilla, fold them toward the center as well, and hold them in place... then, keeping your hands on the body of the burrito, roll it away from you until all the tortilla is rolled and it looks like... well, like a yummy burrito. (If my directions weren't quite clear or you're a visual learner like me, this video might help.)
Additional note: placing each tortilla between 2 damp paper towels and microwaving it for 10-20 seconds can make the tortilla softer and more flexible... sort of gives the same effect as a steamer.
For the stir-fry burrito, you'll be following a very similar procedure, except instead of tomatoes, herbs and cheese, you'll be using some soy sauce, sesame oil and ginger...
Delish Stir-Fry Burrito
1 cup cooked brown rice
2 medium bell peppers, chopped (you can just do green or mix-and-match colors... try purple if you can find them!)
2 good-sized cloves garlic, minced
1 small sweet yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, cut into tiny sticks (julienne-cut)
2 small bunches bok choy, sliced
1 lb frozen broccoli florets or frozen spinach
handful (about 1/2 cup) fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)
soy sauce and rice wine vinegar to taste
sesame oil
dried, ground ginger
Saute the veggies in the same way-- start with the garlic and onion in a little olive oil, then add the carrots and cook about 2-4 minutes, then the bok choy, broccoli/spinach, and mushrooms (if you choose to use them). Once everything is in the skillet, add about 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar, and 1/4 tsp ginger to start. I like to give it a little kick with some red pepper flakes too.
Once the veggies are tender, toss in the rice and give it a good stir to combine. Once it's all mixed up, turn off the heat and add about 1 Tbsp of toasted sesame oil and stir thoroughly, then load up the tortillas, roll-wrap-enjoy!
Ciao!
