Last week I had no idea what to cook for the following week. I headed to the library and searched the cooking section hoping to get some inspiration. My eyes landed upon the book, "Make Ahead Meals Made Fast" by Michele Borboa. What I liked about it was the meals were not only make ahead but healthy.
With my crazy schedule I am always looking for meals that I can make on the weekend for the week or even that freeze well. Only cooking for one it can get tiring to eat the same thing six times in a row. I loved how each recipe in the book came with a big photo to accompany it. There is nothing worse than a cookbook with no pictures! Calorie and nutrition information is also included.
I was interested in trying out the, "Slim and Trim Beef and Papaya Burritos". I had never thought of putting in papaya and goat cheese in a burrito. I was a bit worried it would turn out to be big flop! The mixture was easy to make. The only issue I had was with my wraps. I bought low-cal, low-carb wraps which were not very big. I had a hard time rolling them up and getting the roll to stay put. Next time I'll get bigger wraps and maybe add some brown rice and beans to the mixture, to make it more of a complete meal. I had a salad with mine to make it more of a complete dinner.
The result just what I was hoping for. The combination of ingredients creates a unique flavor that hits all of the senses. The fruit is sweet, the chipolte peppers add a bit of smokiness, the savory meat, tart cheese, and freshness from the cilantro. If you are looking for something a little bit different to change up your week night menu, this dish is for you!
Ingredients: Serves Eight
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds lean beef (96/4)
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt/pepper
2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 cups diced fresh papaya
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup crumbled goat cheese
8 burrito sized whole wheat wraps
Method:
- Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add beef and onion, breaking up the meat as cooking. Cook until beef is brown.
- Add garlic, salt, pepper, chipotle, cumin and coriander. Cook for one minute.
- Stir in papaya and cook for a few minutes, till fruit is heated through.
- Take off of heat add goat cheese and cilantro.
- Wait till mixture is cool and wrap.
Cost: $20.00 total, $2.50 per serving
Cost on this dish was a bit high :( but if you break it down to number of servings it is not too bad. The lean beef, goat cheese and papaya were all a bit over my typical budget. Although, it still beats take out!
Time: 30 minutes total
Nutrition Facts: Amount Per Serving
310 Calories
11.3g Fat
161mg Sodium
26g Carbohydrates
26g Protein
4.5g Fiber
Weight Watcher Points +: 8 points per burrito