Baked Burritos

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, the boys wanted something Mexican-ish. They originally suggested burritos, which are not my favorite. Earlier in the day I had come across a number of different recipes for Cinco de Mayo feasts, and this is a hybrid of my favorite parts of each.

8 (8 inch) flour tortillas (whole wheat is best)
1 can (12 oz) fat free refried beans*
1/2 small onion, diced
1 cup packed spinach, thinly sliced
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 c. non-dairy cheese (optional)
Taco seasoning to taste
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.

To prepare burritos, put a small amount of each ingredient just off center on each tortilla in the following order: beans, onion, tomatoes, taco seasoning, spinach, cheese. Tuck each side in and roll into a burrito. Place on prepared baking sheet with the open edge down to hold it in place.

Use a pastry brush to very lightly coat each burrito with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn over and bake an additional 5 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with salsa, avocado, non-dairy sour cream or any other desired burrito toppings.

Makes 8 burritos.

*If you have time, homemade refried beans are really easy. Take 1 1/2 c. cooked pinto beans (from scratch, not from the can or what's the point?) and mash with a potato masher. Mix with just enough water to get the right consistency, 1/2 t. of cumin, 1 T. powdered vegetable broth, and Real Salt to taste. Stir and continue adding water as necessary. Feel free to play with the seasonings until you get the taste you're after. They're much tastier than the canned beans, although they do take a bit more time.

Nutrition facts per burrito without garnishes
Cal: 265, Fat: 10, Carb: 35, Fiber: 4, Protein: 9

Random Factoid: Most commercially produced non-dairy cheeses contain casein, which is a milk protein. I hate to point out the obvious, but that means it's not a dairy-free cheese. Checking the label for casein (or more appropriately, lack of casein) will ensure you're getting a truly dairy-free cheese.