Lunchbox Burritos

Are your children tired of the sandwiches of school box routine yet? Although most of us don’t have access to the microwave at school, pop these in the oven while you eat breakfast and while piping hot transfer to a Thermos canteen. They will be warm and delicious at lunch time. Nutrient dense school lunch packed with energy minus the nitrates and preservatives. Yes please!

Ingredients:

2 lbs lean grass-fed ground beef

1 tbsp olive or grapeseed oil

1 onion minced

1 can low sodium black beans, rinsed

1 chopped fresh bell pepper

1 package of taco seasoning mix or I prefer homemade taco mix as follows:

  1  ½ tbsp chili powder

 ¼ tsp garlic powder

  ¼ tsp onion powder

   ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or more if you like spice)

 ½ tsp smoked paprika (if you can find it, otherwise regular paprika)

  2 tsp ground cumin

   1 tsp sea salt

 1 tsp fresh ground pepper

    ½ tsp dried oregano

1 cup sour cream

2 dozen whole wheat flour tortillas

2 cups salsa of your choice (we prefer green tomatillo)

3 cups grated cheese

 Directions:

Heat the oil, brown the ground beef.  Add the taco seasoning, beans, sour cream, ½ salsa and ½ cheese.  Scoop 3 tbsps of burrito mix onto a tortilla and roll up, place in baking dish seam side down.  Cover with remaining salsa then cheese.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.   

We often have this for dinner, then the next day they make excellent school lunches. Just warm in the morning and place in thermos.  Alternatively, you can wrap each burrito individually when preparing them and freeze (without the additional sauce and cheese.) The night before the desired school lunch, place in refrigerator over night, then bake in the morning. 

Garnish with sour cream, pickled jalapeños, chopped fresh cilantro.

(inspired by Best of Bridge)