turkey

Better-than-Chipotle Burrito Bowl

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I remember the first time I went into Chipotle. It was awhile ago – probably 7 or 8 years ago – and everyone at my office had been raving about it.  I always liked Mexican but I couldn’t imagine how fast-food Mexican could be different than Taco Bell.  But one afternoon, I decided to go and fell in love.  There was so much goodness in that one bowl…the creamy guacamole, the spice of the salsa, chicken, beans, rice…it was like someone managed to take all of the best parts of a plate of nachos, throw them on rice, and call it a day.  It was like heaven and I think I went back at least a dozen times.

And then two things happened: 1. I read an article online about the calorie and fat content of Chipotle and nearly fell out of my chair. My amazing dream of a lunch was close to 52 grams of fat and 1,000 calories (and that’s without the side of chips). And did I mention the sodium?  It was more than half of the recommended daily intake.  And then a couple of years later, #2 happened: I went on the CKD diet and all thoughts and forms of fast-food became a hazy memory.

But in my quest to find food that fit the diet and I enjoyed, I was in my office, watching someone eating Chipotle, and it occurred to me that the basics of the burrito bowl I had fallen in love with a few years ago were, in fact, on the diet.  If I removed the beans and the cheese, all of the individual items I included in my bowl were acceptable. I ran home that night to make it, so here is the recipe.

I will note that there are two ways to make this: 1. With rice as your base and 2. With lettuce as your base. Sometimes I make this for dinner (see #1) and sometimes I make this for lunch (see #2) – it’s flexible and easy.

Original Recipe: Chipotle (Chipotle’s Nutrition Link)

Revised Recipe: Me 🙂 Jackie

Serving Size: 2 people, if you want more, just double it

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup uncooked white rice (if you want to make this for 4 people, just double this)
  • 4 peppers (I prefer red)
  • 2 tablespoons of canola oil
  • 1 lb lean ground turkey
  • 1-2 chopped jalapenos
  • 2 cups frozen corn
  • 1 small red onion, chopped finely
  • 1 lime
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • Sour Cream (optional)
  • Avocado (Optional)
  • Hot Sauce (Optional)

Directions:

  1. Roast the Peppers (This step is optional): If you prefer your peppers roasted, set your oven for 400 degrees. Slice the peppers into thin strips and toss them in 1 tablespoon of canola oil.  Roast them in the oven for 20 minutes. Flip them onto the other side and put them back in the oven for another 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.  Once at room temperature, dice them into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
  2. Cook the rice according to the package instructions. Set aside.
  3. Defrost the corn in the microwave by adding corn and a tablespoon of water in a microwave-safe bowl.  Depending on your microwave, start at 90 seconds and see if it’s done.  Add another 15-20 seconds until defrosted. Drain and allow to cool.
    • ALTERNATIVE: You can make the Corn Salsa from my recipe and use this instead.  If you choose to do this, omit the jalapeño and red onion from this recipe.
  4. Pour 1 tablespoon of canola oil to a large pan on medium heat and add the chopped red onion.  After 2-3 minutes when it starts to soften, add the raw ground turkey.  Break up into small pieces and allow to cook all the way through, about 8 minutes.
  5. After all of the pink has disappeared from the ground turkey and it is cooked through, add your spices – the paprika, cumin and cayenne pepper.  Stir together so all of the turkey is coated.  All to sit for 3-4 minutes so the oil/juice is soaked up and the meat has turned a dark red color from the spices.
  6. While the turkey is cooking, start to assemble your bowl.  Place some rice at the bottom, then add the roasted red peppers and corn.  Then add some of the jalapeños (be careful not to add too many if you don’t like it spicy…remember, the turkey is spicy too).  If using avocado, cut up a few small chunks and add it to the bowl.  When the turkey is done cooking, add it to the top.
  7. If you’re using sour cream, add a tablespoon on top of the turkey and then sprinkle on your chopped cilantro.  If you like hot sauce, add this as well.  Finally, squeeze the lime over the whole bowl.  Repeat for multiple people/bowls.

ENJOY!

My Redheaded Burger Fantasy

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I have a slight obsession with redheaded men. Not really because I’m attracted to them, but more because I think they’re going extinct.  I mean seriously, how many natural red-haired men are there (besides Price Harry, Ed Sheeran, Ron Howard, Seth Green, and maybe an odd TV star like Damian Lewis)?  I am on the hunt to find more and as a side note, please feel free to comment if you can think of more!  I need to add to my list.

That aside, I also love Bobby Flay. Not just because he’s a redheaded man but because I think he’s charismatic, funny (have you heard him on Z100?) and I love all of his restaurants.  Living in New York, Bobby Flay is a staple here and since I have an affinity of all things spicy, his restaurants are always on my list. I also watch all of his shows on the Food Network to get inspiration.

Here he is making my favorite burger:

bobby

Ahh, my favorite burger…it’s called the Crunchburger, which he sells at Bobby’s Burger Palace.  Upon eating this burger for the first time, I had an epiphany – a little crunch makes any dish, particularly burgers, so much better.  When I began with my CKD diet, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to eat this burger, since A.) it had cheese on it and B.) the best part of the burger was the chips.  But alas, after much experimentation, I’ve found a perfect substitute that makes it CKD friendly.  At that, I give you my favorite redheaded burger with a CKD spin.

The Crunchburger

Original Recipe Found HERE (courtesy of the incomparable Bobby Flay)

Revised Recipe: ME 🙂 Jackie

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds lean ground meat chuck (85 percent lean) or ground turkey (90 percent lean)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 4 white hamburger buns, split; toasted, if desired (Tip: Buns are better toasted 🙂 )
  • 4 slices beefsteak tomato (optional)
  • 4 leaves romaine lettuce (optional)
  • 4 slices red onion (optional)
  • Horseradish Mustard Mayonnaise, recipe follows (optional)*
  • 4 handfuls of salt-free corn tortilla chips (Note: I am obsessed with Garden of Eatin’ blue corn chips, which you can find here. It’s just corn and oil.)
  • Optional for CKD Diets: If you want cheese on your burgers, you can buy rice cheese or Daiya cheese slices; however, please make sure you read the labels. These cheeses do have additives (including phosphates) and salt, so use in moderation.)

Horseradish Mustard Mayonnaise:

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons drained prepared horseradish
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon of agave syrup or honey (optional – only if you want to tone down the spice of the horseradish)

Directions

 

Divide the meat into 4 equal portions (about 6 ounces each). Form each portion loosely into a 3/4-inch-thick burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb. Season both sides of each burger with pepper.

Heat the oil in the pan or griddle over high heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Cook the burgers until golden brown and slightly charred on the first side, about 3 minutes for beef and 5 minutes for turkey. Flip over the burgers. Cook beef burgers until golden brown and slightly charred on the second side, 4 minutes for medium rare or until cooked to desired degree of doneness. Cook turkey burgers until cooked throughout, about 5 minutes on the second side.

If using cheese, add to the tops of the burgers during the last minute of cooking and top with a basting cover, close the grill cover, or tent the burgers with aluminum foil to melt the cheese.

Place the burgers on the bun bottoms and, if desired, top with tomato, lettuce, onion, and a dollop of horseradish mustard mayonnaise. Pile on the corn chips, top with the bun tops, and serve immediately.

Horseradish Mustard Mayonnaise:

Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, and horseradish (and agave syrup or honey if desired) in a small bowl and season with pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. The sauce can be prepared 1 day in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator.

*One note on this sauce: I absolutely LOVE this sauce and use it all the time. I put it on sandwiches, fish, and sometimes I make it into a dressing by adding oil.  If you are not a horseradish fan, you probably won’t use this, but I’ve found the addition of something sweet like the honey or agave syrup helps to balance out that strong flavor nicely.

Enjoy!