Tip #36 Zip Burritos

WOULD YOU BELIEVE: • A burrito can be as high as 22 grams of fat and 540 calories (Taco Bell® Burrito Supreme). • You can make a delicious low-fat burrito in as little as 5 minutes. SOME FACTS: Burritos can be an excellent low- fat way to eat beans. Unlike tacos, they have the advantage of having a "shell," a flour tortilla that is not fried. You still need to be careful of what kind of flour tortilla you use, however. Some of them are made with lard or a substantial amount of oil in them. It is preferable to use whole wheat flour tortillas with 1 or 2 grams of fat per tortilla. The fillings also play a part in making the burrito high or low in fat. The beef, sour cream, cheese, and guacamole are all high in fat content. Even the beans can be high in fat because they are "refried." The trick is to use nonfat "refried" beans or make the beans yourself.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Try the "Zip Burrito" recipe that follows.

Zip Burritos
4 Whole wheat tortillas or chapatis
1C Nonfat refried beans
½C Fresh salsa
1C Lettuce, chopped
½C Alfalfa sprouts
1 Tomato, chopped
1 Green onion, chopped

Heat the beans either in a microwave or put them in a saucepan, stirring them on the stove until heated. Spoon some of the nonfat refried beans onto a tortilla from end to end, then add fresh salsa (if you are in a hurry, use bottled salsa) over the beans. Next add the chopped lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, tomatoes, and green onion. Fold in the sides of the tortilla and hold it together with a toothpick. Makes 4 portions.

(1 portion = 183.2 calories, 3.0 grams fat, 15% protein, 71% carbohydrates, 14% fat)

This makes a delicious, quick burrito that you can eat any time. You can find canned nonfat refried beans in a health food store. Make sure it says nonfat refried beans rather than low-fat, because even low-fat refried beans can contain 3 to 5 grams of fat per serving.