Who Cares if Chipotle Delivers? You Can Make Spicy Fish Burrito Bowls at Home!
Yesterday it was announced that Chipotle will be partnering with Postmates to deliver in 67 cities across the U.S. Taco Bell will soon be following suit. Based on my Facebook feed (a very scientific polling system), it seems that this news came with a great deal of excitement among our generation. I, however, have some pretty serious concerns with this trend.
“When I was your age,” we’ll someday be telling our (increasing obese) children “I had to walk a mile to get my takeout food… up hill both ways!”
Seriously though. We, as a nation, are fat and getting fatter. Our meals are increasingly eaten outside of the home. Not only does eating out increase calorie intake, it leaves us with less money to spend on healthy foods prepared in the home. And it’s becoming easier and easier to purchase food prepared outside the home without having to leave your home to get it. Was the drive-through not bad enough? On average, our level of occupational activity continues to decline, and it’s unlikely that this trend will be reversed. The last thing we need is to continue to eliminate any excuse to build physical activity into our daily lives, but Peapod, Grubhub and Postmates are allowing us to do just that.
I will give it to Chipotle for offering numerous reasonably nutritious options on their menu. However, the average Chipotle customer consumers 1,070 calories when they dine at the chain, and a full day’s worth of sodium. I used their nutrition calculate to create the most similar burrito bowl possible to the recipe I’m sharing (they don’t offer fish, so I chose chicken), and found that it contained 770 calories, 37g fat, 1,500mg sodium, 71 carbohydrates, 23g fiber and 46g protein. And that’s if you don’t get chips. That is an additional 300 calories, twice the sodium and three times the fat of the bowl below, which still contains a hearty 35g protein.
Anyways, I should probably get off of my soap box before I trip and fall. It was only by coincidence that I happened to make burrito bowls the same day Chipotle made it’s announcement, but I couldn’t help take note as we sat enjoying this ridiculously delicious, healthy dinner. One of the many great things about making food at home is knowing exactly what goes into it. So next time you’re craving Chipotle, give these burrito bowls a try!
Spicy Fish Burrito Bowls
Adapted from a Pinch of Yum
Ingredients:
- 2 tsps chipotle chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 20 oz cod filets (or other flaky white fish)
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup fresh corn kernels (canned or off the cob)
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup brown rice (cooked according to package)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 ripe avocado
- Salsa
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Olive oil
How-to:
- Mix the spices together in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over both sides of the fish filets. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- In a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat, heat a drizzle of olive oil. Add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the fish filets to the pan. Grill the fish on each side for several minutes, checking the middle for doneness (fish should be completely white and flake apart easily). Set aside.
- Add corn and red pepper. Cook for several minutes to get a brown/black roasted look on the outside. Repeat for several minutes (stir, wait, stir, wait) until the peppers and onions are tender-crisp. Add the black beans and heat through.
- Layer rice, corn/pepper mixture and fish in a bowl. Top with tomato, avocado and salsa.
Serves 4
