Easy Rice Burritos

Wow, it's been a while. I have some serious A.D.D. sometimes. And since this is officially the wettest June on record by over 3 inches, I suspect that I am also suffering from seasonal depression, despite the fact that I have never suffered from it before.

Moving right along. I don't have much time to spare, but I thought I would quickly share my favorite EASY, healthy meal. It is so simple to make, my 6-year-old nieces could figure it out, it's portable, can be eaten hot or cold, has as many variations as someone can come up with, and is CHEAP to make.

Easy Rice Burritos:

Okay, I don't have a recipe per se. I change it up every time I make these. But here's the basic idea (in bold, the rest is just my rantings):

1 cup rice (pre-cooked). Then cook according to package directions, which should yield about 2 cups of cooked rice, give or take. You can use white, brown, jasmine, wild, it doesn't matter. Whatever you like. Obviously brown rice is more nutritious than white. But in general, I am not that anal.

1 can beans, drained. Kidney, white, pinto, whatever. I like canned beans because they are a million times easier than dried beans and retain most of their nutritional value when canned. Cans of beans are also so cheap that I have never seen the point in going through the hassle of soaking dried beans overnight and the whole rigmarole associated with cleaning and cooking them when I can just open a can and dump them in. If you are a vegetarian like myself, this is your protein source. Protein is good for you. You need it. If you are not a vegetarian and hate beans, I'm sure you can substitute whatever meat products you like. I will still maintain that opening a can of beans is easier AND healthier.

1 can veggies, drained. Again, whatever you like. Corn or peas are my favorites, but it truly is unlimited. Yes, you can use fresh steamed veggies, which are the best, or you can use frozen, which are second best, but again, I am lazy. If I were truly motivated I would put steamed veggies in this, but I don't care enough. Canned style are the most nutritionally void of all of your options, plus many of them contain copious amounts of sodium. But honestly, this mis tends towards the bland side so unless you are planning on working some magic with some spices and whatnot, the tiny bit of extra sodium is a godsend.

Season to taste.  Hypocritical as I am about to sound, I am trying to cut back on my sodium intake (I know, I know, I said I liked it in the very last sentence of the last paragraph, but that it my exception, not my rule). Therefore, I have renewed my love affair with an old staple: garlic. Garlic powder or fresh garlic has been happily replacing salt in many of my favorite dishes, including my popcorn. I also adore fresh cilantro in these burritos. If I'm feeling a little "South-of-the-border," I'll use corn as my veggie and add some chili powder. I also just leave the filling plain. Use your imagination.

Wrap in a tortilla and garnish. Okay, before I burrito these up (yes, I just used a noun as a verb. Deal with it) I might add some salsa before rolling. Or some grated low-fat cheese. Usually both. I imagine you could do sour cream if you get the "light" kind or if you don't care about calories. I also will toss in some sliced avocado, because I adore avocado. The point is, even if the filling is somewhat bland, you CAN jazz it up right before eating.

These are SO filling that usually one smallish burrito fills me up and keeps be full for a long time. You have your veggies, your protein, and your carbs in one wrap. They are the Holy Trinity of my cooking philosophy: Easy, Fast, and Cheap.

Yes, I understand that these are a little high in carbs, but allow me to go off for a minute about how rediculous I think the "low-carb diet" and the "low glycemic index diet" fads are:

 A gram of carbs is the EXACT same number of calories as a gram of protein. Exact same. 4 calories in a gram of protein, 4 calories in a gram of carbs. And this is universal. Seriously. It's the fat that'll pack on the calories at a whopping 9 calories per gram. (If you don't believe me, read the nutrition label on something close to you. Multiply the grams of fat per serving by 9 calories. Then multiply the grams of carbs per serving and the grams of protein per serving by 4 calories. Then add it up. Amazingly, it will equal the total calories per serving.) So we SHOULD be focusing on a low-fat/low calorie diet like doctors have been saying for decades. A calorie is a calorie is a calorie, and the unit itself is an ENERGY unit that indicates how much energy is required to burn it up at all. Why is the old-fashioned "Eat low-calorie, eat everything in moderation and get some exercise" fitness plan not used as much as it should be??

Okay, rant over. Bon apetit!