The Burrito Dilemma

I don't crave a lot of foods, but the two that I long for, lust for, at least once a week is sushi and Mexican food. Luckily for me, sushi is rather healthy, so it's a guiltless indulgence, but Mexican...well, that's a whole different taco all together.

When I do crave Mexican, I usually want a burrito. The chewiness of a gigantic flour tortilla, the creaminess of the slightly spicy refried beans, the juicy shredded chicken and melty, glorious cheese - I wantitwantitwantit now. But if I ran out and got this meaty cheesy goodness every time I had a craving, I'd be looking like a stocky stuffed burrito (more than I already do - ha!).

So I have found a solution. Make a healthy version of the food I crave. In this case, I start off with one, Trader Joe's brown-rice-flour tortilla (gluten and wheat free for those of you with celiac) and a slice of jalapeno Veggie Slices cheese.

The start of healthy burrito greatness

Put those in the micro for a sec, to let the "cheese" melt. Then add one, heated (micro for one minute) Dr. Praeger's Tex Mex veggie burger and a few pieces of chicken - in my case, it's the already-cooked "Just Chicken" from Trader Joe's - to the tortilla/soy cheese. The Tex Mex veggie burger has a very bean-y texture, and the spices are just perfect for Mexican food. Nuke for another minute to heat up the chicken.

I then add some red onions and salsa, plus a good amount of Tapatio, then roll up the tortilla and secure with a toothpick. I eat it with some Mary's Gone gluten-free crackers and more salsa. You can eat it with baked tortilla chips, which I would have preferred, but I only had these crackers in the pantry.

Needless to say, my burrito craving was satiated. No, it's not authentic by any stretch, but it got me through one dinner and it saved me about a zillion calories. So it's all good.

First Post: It's rainy AND it's a Sunday!

Who would've thunk it? My first post is entirely appropriate considering it's Sunday and it just happens to be bleak and wet outside (a rarity here in Los Angeles). I chose the title because A) I cook my week's worth of lunches every Sunday and B) on rainy days, I tend to go even further by baking or cooking something special. What else are you going to do on a cold, wet day?

I've been inspired by many of the food blogs I read on a regular basis: Orangette, Becks and Posh and The Amateur Gourmet.Though there is a high risk of looking like a food-blog-bandwagon-jumper, I decided to start my own.

Recently I have changed my eating habits due to some back pain I've been experiencing. I had back surgery in May after an accident (fell down some steep, concrete stairs - ouch!), and every now and then, I get flare ups that leave me unable to walk or pretty much do anything without pain. I'm in physical therapy now, but my doctor recommended that I try an anti-inflammatory diet to help calm down my angry back muscles. The diet somewhat resembles a gluten-free one (thanks to Gluten Free Girl for many wonderful ideas), but it's a bit stricter: No dairy, no red meat, no sugar, and no nightshade plans like my beloved tomatoes and bell peppers. But, unlike someone with celiac disease, I don't have to absolutely and totally stick to this rigid diet - it just helps me out a bit if I choose to be on it most of the time. And that's the plan - do it 90% of the time then leave the other 10% for luscious plates of pappardelle with cream sauce and decadent chocolate cupcakes and other special-occasion treats. Hey, balance is key, right?

But as an avid cook and food lover, I am taking this new diet on with gusto. It's a challenge, and I'm excited to see what I can create within the confines of the AID (<--horrible acronym) diet. Besides the anti-inflammatory benefits, this diet also promotes clear skin and helps clear up basic allergies like hay fever.

OK, enough of the background check - "Get to the cooking!" you say.

I hope you enjoy this blog :)