Cheap Lunch - Black Bean Burrito Low-Fat Recipe
Vegetarian Meals for Under $2.50: Roasted Root Vegetable Bean Wraps
Jul 15, 2009
Want restaurant-quality food without paying restaurant prices? Spend an hour this weekend cooking up a delicious taste treat that's as healthy as it is filling. This balanced, high-protein meal will make the whole rest of your day feel better, and the roasted root vegetables add great flavor.
For money-saving tips, read about how to grocery shop for less during the recession, or find out to make a low-fat three-bean salad under $1.50.
Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burritos
This recipe makes lunches for one week.
Cooking Implements:
- Vegetable cutting knife
- Frying pan
- Turner or fork
- A work area, like a large plate or cutting board
- A cookie sheet
- Large mixing bowl
- Small mixing bowl
- Quart-size sandwich bags, five qty.
Ingredients, Five Portions: It's easiest to make this recipe in multiple portions; it will save time for the rest of the week! Please note: Greek yogurt is thicker in consistency than regular yogurt, and has a higher protein content. This helps the burritos hold together and also makes them less fattening and more filling.
- 2 cans (24-32 oz. or .75-1 kg) black beans.
- 1 package burrito-sized tortillas.
- One small onion – sweet onions are best, but any onion will do.
- Fresh sweet potatoes or yams, two small or one large.
- Two fresh carrots.
- A few tablespoons of olive oil.
- 1 tbsp tomato paste.
- 1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt.
- 1 tsp mustard – honey mustard or dijon mustard is best, but any will do.
- Low-fat cheese slices (Trader Joe's Muenster is ideal.)
- Pinches of cumin, mustard powder, cayenne, salt and pepper.
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Peel the sweet potatoes or yams, then cut them into small pieces (about an inch or 2 cm long.) Follow the same steps with the carrots. Coat the vegetable pieces thinly in olive oil, using your fingers and a large mixing bowl. Also spread a thin layer of olive oil on the cookie sheet or tray.
- Place the vegetables on the tray and spread them out so that none are completely buried under others, then put them in the oven. Set to 40 minutes; check at 30.
- Chop onion finely. Open black beans; rinse well and drain.
- Line the bottom of the frying pan with a small amount of olive oil. A non-stick pan will limit the amount of oil. Set on medium to medium-low heat.
- Place the onions in the frying pan, add spices, and cook until slightly brown.
- Add black beans to frying pan; stir well and cook for an additional 2-5 minutes until flavors have soaked in. Put the mixture aside.
- Add 1 cup Greek yogurt, 1 tsp mustard and 1 tbsp tomato paste to a small mixing bowl and stir until fully blended.
- When root vegetables have finished roasting, remove from oven.
- Use the plate or cutting board to set out tortillas one by one. Spread the yogurt sauce thinly on each tortilla; it helps keep the burritos from falling apart; then add one slice of cheese, followed by up to 1/5 of the bean & onion mixture and up to 1/5 of the vegetable mixture. Wrap tightly, and place in bags.
- If you have enough for more than five burritos, share with friends.
Cost Analysis for five portions: This recipe has a few expensive ingredients, but many of them will last longer than one week and allow the wise cook to make several sets of burritos.
Beans should cost between $2 and $3, onion $1, sweet potatoes $2, carrots 50 cents, yogurt $2.
$3 worth of tortillas lasts approximately two weeks (but keep them in the fridge!) - net: $1.50.
$3.50 worth of cheese should also last about two weeks. Net: $1.75.
The amount of spices used is negligible – if they aren't available around the house, buy small quantities in bulk or try the dollar store.
The amount of olive oil used should come to no more than $1.
Total net costs: Under than $11.00 for five burritos.
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