Grilled Veggie Burritos: How to Cook for a Carnivore and Vegetarian in the Same Meal

People often ask my husband how he "survives" being married to a vegetarian.  He's a big meat eater, and I think that everyone is under the impression that I force-feed him tofu and wimpy iceberg salads 7 days a week.  Well, fear not:  he visits the butcher about once a month to stock up on all of his favorite meat lover's treats.  We work it out so that the meals we prepare can be served veg style or in a more carnivorous fashion.  Last night, for example, we had friends over and we prepared shish kabobs.  Some skewers were exclusively vegetables, and others were loaded with marinated chicken and pork.  Tonight for dinner, I used our leftovers to make myself a delicious vegetarian burrito bowl, and packed a tortilla full of the same ingredients for him - adding some pork and chicken.  We were both quite happy with the results.

GRILLED VEGGIE BURRITO/BURRITO BOWL

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried minced onion
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 15 oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes, with liquid
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Several dashes of chili oil
Your favorite burrito toppings.  I like farmer's cheese, greek yogurt, and sometimes lettuce
Grilled vegetables (and meat!) of your choice*

*Here, I used red peppers, yellow peppers, onion, zucchini, button mushrooms, and  red onion

1.  Chop vegetables and cook on skewers using a charcoal or gas grill.  If they were grilled previously, reheat them in the oven while making the rest of the recipe.  If you're experiencing cold weather right now, you can still grill!  We like to enjoy grilled foods year round.  I have to admit, though, that my husband is the one who braves the cold to operate the grill in frigid temps.

2.  Heat oil in pan, then add garlic.  Saute until garlic begins to turn a light golden brown color.

3.  Quickly stir in chili powder, cumin, and minced onion.  I like to have my spices pre-measured in a small prep bowl nearby, so I can just pour them all in at once without having to stop to measure each one individually.

4.  Add rice, beans, and tomatoes.  Cook on medium high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5.  Add sea salt, pepper, and chili oil to taste.  (I like a lot of salt, so I won't embarrass myself by including the actual measurement I use...) :)

6.  Spoon mixture into a bowl or tortilla.  I choose to eat my burritos in bowls most of the time, since most grocery store tortillas contain processed ingredients.  It's always a treat, though, when we have sprouted grain tortillas on hand so I can enjoy a more traditional burrito.

7.  Add toppings of your choice:  cheese, greek yogurt (my sour cream substitute), lettuce, etc.  Add grilled veggies and meat.

8. Enjoy!

Heat oil in pan, add garlic and saute until golden brown.  Quickly add spices and stir.

Add rice, beans, and tomatoes.

Cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally.

Add sea salt, pepper, and chili oil to taste.

Spoon mixture into a bowl.  Top with your favorite burrito fixings and finish with grilled vegetables.

Meat Lover's Alternative:  Add grilled chicken or pork.  If you don't mind eating some not-very-highly-processed-food:  Wrap it all up in a delicious flour tortilla and serve with chips and salsa.