Breakfast Burritos
I’m not sure how it happened, but the quarter is already half over. It might be the ridiculous class load with which I inexplicably saddled myself; it might be the new job, or the responsibilities of being an editor, or the service fraternity; it might be anything. I’m busy, but so are all of you. So this week, I’m going to highlight the versatility—and speediness—of an oft-overlooked diet staple.
The tortilla. Wonder of the flatbreads, key to my nourishment this quarter. You can put anything in it, burrito-style, and eat on the run. Without my tortillas, I would probably starve out of sheer lack of time to sit down and eat. Last week’s leftover Tex-Mex casserole? Stuff it in a burrito and you have lunch on the go. Need a quick and filling snack between classes? Spread peanut butter on a tortilla and roll it around a banana. If you thought you had time to make and eat that Hamburger Helper, but realized too late that class is sooner than you thought, throw it in a burrito and eat it on the way.
You’re probably thinking, “Why bother making food to eat on the way when I can grab Wendy’s, or Bagel Street, or Pita Pit?” Two words: health and money. A quarter-pounder with cheese from McDonald’s, by itself, contains over 500 calories. That is one-fourth of the average person’s recommended daily caloric intake, and it doesn’t even include French fries! As for cash, let me put it this way: by making your own lunch four days a week instead of eating out, for an entire quarter, you could almost buy a new Ipod Touch with the money you save. You read that right. You could save nearly $200 in a quarter, just by making lunch at home.
Lately, I’ve gotten really into making breakfast at home too. I really wouldn’t get through my day without that energy boost. Breakfast burritos are easy to make, and I usually pack my lunch while the food is cooking. This recipe can be as extravagant or as simple as you like; I often make mine with just eggs and cheese, but you could also throw in bacon, ham, sausage, cheese and/or any vegetables you like (think mushrooms, peppers, onions, anything you would put in an omelet).
You will need:
- 2 small or 1 large tortilla
- 3 strips of bacon
- 2-3 large eggs (depends on how much you can eat)
- ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Fry up the bacon in a small skillet. Remove the bacon from the pan when it’s cooked (after about 5-7 minutes, depending on how crispy you like it) and set it on a paper towel to soak up the extra grease. Drain the grease from the pan. (I try to find an empty cardboard box, fill it with newspaper, put it into the trash can, and drain into that. You never want to pour hot grease directly into the trash can, as it will melt through the bag, and you NEVER want to dump it down the sink.)
Return the pan to the stove-top and use it to cook the eggs (if you’re doing veggies too, I recommend cooking them in a separate pan). The remnants of the bacon drippings will flavor the eggs; it tastes awesome. Once the eggs are nearly cooked, crumble up the bacon and add it to the pan, along with the cheese.
Pop the tortillas into the microwave for about 10-15 seconds to soften them. Spoon the bacon and egg mixture onto the tortillas, keeping it near the top half of the circle. Fold the bottom up, then roll the sides in. Voila! Breakfast on the go, at a fraction of the cost, made just the way you like it.
The best part of this recipe? You can make it in the dorms, too! Just grab a microwave-safe plate and nuke the bacon for a minute at a time, until it is cooked to your liking. The eggs you can pour into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 45 seconds at a time, taking the eggs out and stirring them after each round so they cook evenly. It is imperative that you watch the food as it’s cooking; don’t just pop it in and walk away! All microwaves cook differently, so until you know exactly how long it takes to cook the food, you shouldn’t risk an explosion by walking away. Just mix it all together once it’s cooked as described above, and you’re ready to go!
Tags: bacon, burrito, College Kitchen, eggs, Emma Frankart