Black Bean and Kale Burritos with Avocado Crema

Name: Black Bean and Kale Burritos with Avocado Crema
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup dry rice (basmati or wild rice are my favorites); large tortillas; 2 – 14.5 oz cans of black beans, strained and rinsed or 3 cups freshly cooked beans; ½ of a red onion, diced; ½ of a jalapeño, minced (omit ½ or all seeds depending on spice preference); 6 cloves Garlic, minced; 4 cups Kale, chopped (it seems like a lot but it cooks down!); 1 small zucchini, sliced and quartered (about 1 ½ cups); ½ cup water; 1 Tbsp chili powder; 1 Tbsp cumin; ¼ tsp salt, (more to-taste); 2 tsp rosemary; 2 tsp dried oregano; 1 avocado; 2 tsp lime juice; ¼ cup cilantro; 1 slice jalapeño; pinch of salt, to taste; 2 Tbsp vegan sour cream or Veganaise (optional); ½ cup water; 2 tomatoes, diced; 1/3 of a red onion, diced; ½ of a jalapeño, ½ or all seeds removed; 1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped; 2 tsp lime juice; pinch of salt

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These Black Bean and Kale Burritos are hearty and nutritious, filled with sautéed kale, zucchini, and black beans, cooked in flavorful Mexican spices and finished with a zesty Avocado Crema! Easy to make, this tasty twist on veggie burritos makes a big batch for the whole family and maybe leftovers for later!

Tips for success

If you’re doing grilled-stuffed, get the mondo tortillas and don’t overstuff! Sometimes I grill my tortillas first and then I can overstuff them to my heart’s delight, but you can’t do that will grilled-stuffed or they will burst open before the pan can seal them shut. Large tortillas and not overstuffing them prevents this from happening!
Watch out for green and red tortillas. Usually those seemingly healthier “sun-dried tomato” or “spinach” tortillas are red and green not because of tomatoes and spinach but because of artificial dyes. Don’t fall for the artificial colorant trick, it’s unnecessary and doesn’t do a body good. Less is best when it comes to tortilla ingredients.
You don’t need oil for any of this, not even for the cooking the tortillas. You can use it if you’d like, but it’s not necessary. Even the tortillas will brown just fine without it.
Rinse or soak rice before cooking. This helps remove excess starch but it also helps rid any inorganic arsenic rice may be contaminated with. I know that sounds bad but rice is such a healthy whole grain that the health benefits far outweigh any potential health risks AND you are not powerless! You can reduce chances of arsenic exposed rice by buying rice from California and avoiding rice grown in southern states such as Texas as well as soaking rice for 15 minutes or at the very least rinsing it well.

Are canned beans less nutritious?

Nope! Don’t feel guilty for popping open a can instead of making fresh beans; you’ll get all the same benefits! Home-cooked beans are more flavorful, but none of the nutrients are lost during the canning process. Just make sure to check the label to ensure there isn’t anything added other than beans, water, and maybe salt. And remember to rinse canned beans before cooking!

Black Beans are incredibly nutritious and loaded with protein, fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals! Where do I get my protein? Beans, for one! But the spotlight should really be on the fiber content, which beans are packed with! Literally no one in developed countries is lacking protein unless they are lacking calories entirely, and even vegetarians and vegans are eating too much. But 95% of Americans are deficient in fiber. This results in an array of health issues including increased risk for heart disease, stroke, hypertension, certain gastrointestinal disorders, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.¹

Wanting to lose weight? Beans contribute to weight loss since they are low in fat and calories and high in fiber—which keeps you feeling full longer! Beans and other legumes also lower your LDL cholesterol (bad) while raising your HDL cholesterol (good). This helps with lowering blood pressure and inflammation, while reducing your risk for heart disease.²

Oh Kale Yeah!

Kale is deemed a superfood for good reason—it’s one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet! This dark leafy green is packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Kale is a great source of vitamin C and it’s one of the best sources of vitamin K in the world, with one cup raw kale being 94% of the recommended daily value³ and cooked kale is even better—a mere ½ cup contains 443%!⁴

When people think of calcium, they picture a tall glass of milk. But don’t forget about the leafy greens! Kale is actually a good source of calcium, keeping bones strong and cellular functions healthy without the baggage of saturated fat, hormones, and cholesterol packed in dairy.

Kale is high in nutrients that helps protect the eyes and drastically reduced risk of macular degeneration and cataracts. Kale contains cancer-fighting compounds, including sulphoraphane, that may have protective effects against certain types of cancers.⁵

If you have a choice between kale and spinach, reach for the kale — spinach contains oxalates, which can prevent minerals such as calcium from being absorbed. Spinach isn’t bad! Kale is just better.