Let’s delve into the convenience and health benefits of preparing breakfast burritos for your morning routine.
Convenience Benefits:
- Time-Saving: With freezer burritos, you can prepare a batch in advance during a time that suits you, such as on a weekend or a free evening. This means you can avoid the morning rush and simply grab one from the freezer on your way out the door. No need to wait in line at a drive-through or spend time cooking breakfast from scratch.
- Customizable: When making your own freezer burritos, you have complete control over the ingredients. Whether you prefer vegetarian, gluten-free, or have specific dietary restrictions, you can tailor the recipe to suit your needs. Plus, you can adjust the spice level and add extra veggies or protein to make them even more satisfying.
- Portability: Frozen burritos are incredibly portable, making them ideal for busy mornings or when you’re on the go. You can easily take them with you in a lunchbox or bag and heat them up wherever there’s a microwave available—at work, school, or even while traveling.
- Cost-Effective: Making your own freezer burritos is often more cost-effective than purchasing breakfast from a drive-through or a pre-packaged meal. Buying ingredients in bulk and preparing them at home can help you save money in the long run, especially if you frequently rely on convenience foods.
Health Benefits:
- Controlled Ingredients: By preparing your own freezer burritos, you have full control over the quality and freshness of the ingredients. You can choose whole grains for the tortillas, lean proteins like turkey or chicken, and incorporate plenty of vegetables for added nutrition. This ensures that you’re consuming wholesome, nutrient-rich foods rather than processed or overly greasy options.
- Balanced Nutrition: Freezer burritos can be a well-rounded meal when made with a variety of ingredients. Including sources of protein, fiber, and healthy fats can help keep you feeling satisfied and energized throughout the morning. By including ingredients like beans, eggs, spinach, and avocado, you can create a breakfast that provides a good balance of macronutrients and micronutrients.
- Portion Control: Preparing individual freezer burritos allows for easy portion control. You can measure out the ingredients to ensure that each burrito contains an appropriate serving size, helping you manage your calorie intake and prevent overeating. This can be particularly beneficial if you’re trying to maintain or lose weight while still enjoying a satisfying breakfast.
- Reduced Sodium and Preservatives: When you make freezer burritos at home, you can significantly reduce the amount of sodium and preservatives compared to store-bought or fast-food options. By using fresh ingredients and minimal seasoning, you can enjoy a flavorful breakfast without the excessive salt or additives often found in processed foods. This can contribute to better overall health and lower your risk of certain health conditions associated with high sodium intake.
Preparing freezer burritos offers both convenience and health benefits. They’re a time-saving breakfast option that can be customized to fit your preferences and dietary needs. By using wholesome ingredients and controlling portion sizes, you can enjoy a nutritious meal that fuels your day without sacrificing flavor or convenience.
Ingredients:
| Yellow pepper, diced | 1 each | 1 each |
| Tomato, diced | 1 cup | 250 mL |
| Onion, medium, diced | 1 each | 1 each |
| Olive oil | 2 Tbsp | 30 mL |
| Black beans, low sodium, 19 oz can, drained and rinsed | 1 each | 1 each |
| Chili powder | 1 tsp | 5 mL |
| Garlic powder | 2 tsp | 10 mL |
| Cumin | 1 tsp | 5 mL |
| Salt | 1/8 tsp | 1 mL |
| Pepper | 1/8 tsp | 1 mL |
| Eggs, large | 8 each | 8 each |
| 1% milk | 1/3 cup | 85 mL |
| Cheddar cheese, shredded | 2 cups | 500 mL |
| Kale, finely shredded | 1 cup | 250 mL |
| Whole wheat tortilla shells | 8 each | 8 each |
Directions:
- Over medium-high heat, sauté the pepper, tomato, and onion in 1 Tbsp of olive oil until most of the water in the vegetables is evaporated off, about 5-8 minutes.
- After 5-8 minutes, add the black beans, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper and sauté for another 5 minutes.
- Beat the eggs and milk together in a bowl.
- Over medium-heat in a separate pan, add the eggs and the remaining olive oil. Fry until the eggs are fully cooked through.
- Assemble burritos by adding eggs, veggies and beans, cheese, and kale into a tortilla shell. Wrap the burrito tightly and freeze in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag for up to a month.
Tip: To hold burritos together heat up a non-stick frying pan on medium-heat. Add some water with a food brush to where the end of the shell meets the body of the burrito and place it on the pan. Fry until the tortilla starts browning and the end of the tortilla stays in place.
Makes 8 servings (305 g /serving). 1 serving = 1 burrito
recipe courtesy of nutritionrx.ca
