Low Pro Burritos

We love Tex-Mex at our house. Thankfully, this lends well to the PKU diet. You can certainly get creative with lots of flavor and a variety of dishes. Recently, I attempted a low pro burrito. I do not have many pictures because honestly, I wasn’t sure how it would turn out.

The filler was fabulous. I would suggest this as an enchilada filler, taco topper, or just plain on it’s own. It was (you guessed it) my favorite cauliflower and low pro rice mixture. I can’t say enough how much better the low pro rice is when you cut it with cauliflower. It also adds vitamins and minerals we definitely do not get from the starch-based replacement products.

Cauliflower:

-Powerful antioxidants that studies show actually kill cancer stem cells and slow growth of tumors

-Improve blood pressure and kidney health through sulforaphane a phytochemical (chemical produced in plants)

- Reduces inflammation, which can help pain, mood, and also increased with stress

-Loaded with vitamin K, vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, etc.

This is the condensed version. Also of note, you can take various supplements but receiving these benefits through a well-balanced diet is truly the best form for your body.

Enough of the soapbox and back to the recipe.

I generally use a 1:1 ratio of low protein rice to riced cauliflower for any of these dishes. This can be modified depending on taste and phe tolerance. Sometimes if I have a few extra milligrams to share, I throw in some jasmine rice for texture but for me, that is rare. Rice is my absolute nemesis. It is a love/hate relationship (I love it, my husband generally hates it). I know you all understand that.

I bake the burritos once I add the fillings. Roll them up as tight as you can and throw some extra cheese on top. This helps them to maintain the shape. It is perfect for meal prep. I pack one of those in my lunch and voila, super low phe meal that is both filling and appetizing.

Low pro Spanish rice filling:

2 cups riced cauliflower

2 cup low pro rice of your choice

1 tbsp canola oil

1 chopped onion

3 cloves of garlic, minced

.5 cup finely chopped mushrooms (I chopped them fine just to add a hearty base so it was not overpowering)

One half 9 ounce can of Ro-Tel tomatoes (beware, spicy is actually spicy)

One half 10 ounce can of red enchilada sauce

1.5 cup of water or vegetable broth

1 tsp cumin

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tbsp sugar

One half can black olives sliced (I actually used the whole can- #oliveobsessed)

4 low pro tortillas (I used Cambrooke for the recipe)

.5 cup favorite low pro cheese

2 tbsp cilantro for garnish

.25 cup avocado

Fry the onion, mushrooms, and garlic in oil. Once translucent, add low pro rice and heat, mixing quickly. I usually stir fry the rice before adding cauliflower but it is not necessary. You must stir quickly as it will probably stick. Try to separate the chunks of rice so that they do not adhere together. Add riced cauliflower, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, and spices. Mix. Pour liquid over (either broth or water). Mix in black olives. Cover and let cook down for 20 minutes. This is a guesstimate and you will know it is done when all the water is absorbed and the rice is soft. You may need a taste tester for that step (wink, wink). Stir frequently! It will stick but don’t stress; once it is done cooking and ready to serve you should be able to scoop out easily (I don't use nonstick pans so mine might stick a bit more than usual).

While the rice mixture is cooking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. If I am looking for extra calories I will fry the tortillas in a small to moderate amount of oil prior to loading up with the filling. This warms and softens them so it is easier to fill and shape. Once the rice mixture is cooked down to your liking add a scoop to each tortilla and roll. Pack the tortillas tightly in a casserole dish. Sprinkle low pro cheese on top and bake for 20 minutes or until bubbling hot.

Serve with any desired toppings. I like avocado and cilantro. I also drizzle an jalapeno-lime dressing over (recipe below).

Jalapeno-Lime Vinaigrette

1 bunch cilantro

.5 cup avocado oil (or other vegetable oil)

1 large clove garlic

Juice of 3-4 limes

1 teas Dijon mustard

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp cumin

.5 jalapeno, seeds removed (add more or less to liking)

Black pepper to taste

Blend ingredients until smooth.

Modification: pour enchilada sauce over tortillas before baking to make this an enchilada dish instead. If making enchiladas, cut tortillas in half and load the casserole dish tightly with lots of tortillas.

I would suggest this chicken option in the instant pot for the rest of the family:

http://www.number-2-pencil.com/2017/03/20/instant-pot-pressure-cooker-chicken-enchiladas/

Nick loved it (and he is picky!). I might add a few more veggies to it in the future. I also added half of a can of black beans.