Tortilla Thursday

Tonight it was "tortilla Thursday" in our house. Creative, right? This meal came to us at the request of the kid, who offered his typical helpful "tacos!" when I asked for meal suggestions.

Usually I pair Mexican meals with either brown rice or canned refried black beans (low sodium, obvs). I have a long-standing love affair with refried beans, starting when my father introduced me to this delicacy by way of the fine dining establishment -Taco Bell - many, many moons ago. He is a man of refined taste, obvs.

Luckily for my arteries I haven't had Taco Bell in at least 15 years. Luckily for my heart health I continue to love all thing beany. That's why I decided to attempt to make homemade refried beans for tonight's food fiesta.

Turkey & Bean Burritos
Source: Heart Healthy Magazine, date unknown (this magazine is no longer published)

Ingredients:

• 8 flour tortillas (I used whole wheat from La Tortilla Factory)
• 12 oz ground turkey
• 1 c. chopped onion
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1-15oz can black or pinto beans, rinsed and drained (used no-salt added black)
• 1/2 c. salsa (used Newman's Own)
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 c. shredded cheddar
• lettuce, sour cream, etc. for toppings (I had guac. I love guac)

Directions:

• Warm tortillas.
• In a large skillet, cook turkey, onion and garlic over med heat until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain fat. Stir in beans, salsa, chili powder. Heat through.
• Spoon about 1/3 c. filling on each burrito and top with cheese, etc.

Yield: 8 burritos (1 burrito/serving)
Per serving: 231 cal; 8g fat (3g sat); 41mg chol; 439mg sodium; 25g carb; 4g fiber; 15g protein

Refried Beans
Source: The America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 3 cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained (used no-salt added)
• 1 c. water
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 jalapeno chile, minced (I used canned)
• 4 tsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 c. minced fresh cilantro (skip)

Directions:

• Process beans and water in a food processor until smooth, about 2 mins, scraping down the sides as needed.
• Combine onion, jalapeno and 1 tsp of oil in medium saucepan. Cover and cook over med-low heat, stirring occasionally, until veggies are soft, approx 8-10 mins.
• Stir in garlic and cumin and cook for about 30 sec. Stir in pureed beans until combined and heated through, about 10 mins. Add remaining oil and cilantro. Season with hot sauce to taste.

Yield: 8 servings (1/2 c/serving)
Per serving: 120 cals; 2.5g fat (0g sat); 0mg chol; 19g chol; 7g protein; 6g fiber; 300mg sodium

Reviews:
The burritos went over very well with all of us. They were very filling, and there's enough left over for lunch. The refried beans, on the other hand, did not go over as well. The kid did not like the beans at all, and grudgingly ate three bites simply to gain an after-dinner treat. The hubs thought they were bland. I liked them, but since I'm all about the beans, my opinion might be a little skewed.

Ranking:
Three Forks for the burritos
Two Forks for the beans

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