healthy burrito Bowl

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This shop was compensated by Inmar Intelligence and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MyMazolaMoment 👉🏻A clinical study showed Mazola® Corn Oil​ reduces cholesterol 2x more than extra virgin olive oil. Learn more: MAZOLA.com

This healthy burrito bowl will satisfy cravings for a tasty, comforting Mexican meal. Make it with ground beef or ground chicken, Mazola® Corn Oil, and your favorite veggies and garnishes. Burrito bowl meal prep has never been easier or more delicious!

PIN THIS BURRITO BOWL RECIPE!

WHY THIS BURRITO BOWL RECIPE WORKS: Life is busy. Meal prep can often be challenging. Like steak fajitas, this easy dinner idea comes together quickly! February is Heart Health Month. It’s the perfect time to add this better for you recipe to your meal plan rotation.

burrito bowl ingredients

This healthy burrito bowl features a mix of fresh ingredients and common pantry items. Here’s what you’ll need for this easy homemade recipe:

CILANTRO LIME RICE

• Mazola® Corn Oil
• Jasmine rice
• Hot water
• Sea salt
• Fresh cilantro
• Juice from 1 lime

MEAT MIXTURE

• Mazola® Corn Oil
• Lean ground beef or ground chicken
• Taco seasoning (or 1 taco spice packet)
• Tomato sauce
• Warm water
• Canned corn
• Canned black beans
• OPTIONAL: Canned diced green chiles
• Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese

FRESH VEGGIES

• Romaine lettuce
• Grape tomatoes
• Large avocado

BEST GARNISHES

• Cheddar cheese
• Sour cream (regular or light)
• Black olives
• Tortilla chips, snapped/broken
• Lime slices
• Hot sauce or salsa

MAKE CILANTRO LIME rice

RECIPE PREP:  For a healthy burrito bowl, removing surface starch from the rice is important. Rinse rice in a mesh strainer under cold running water. Use your fingers to separate the grains. Continue rinsing until water runs clear.

• STEP 1: Warm Mazola® Corn Oil in a medium/small pot.
• STEP 2: Add the rice. Sauté briefly. Just until the grains become translucent. Add hot water and salt. Stir. Bring to a boil over high heat.
• STEP 3: Reduce heat to low/simmer. Cover pot with a tight-fitting lid. Allow rice to simmer for 18-20 minutes, or until water is absorbed.
• STEP 4: Remove pot from heat. Wrap lid in a cotton towel. Place it back on the pot. Let rice sit undisturbed, away from heat, for 10-15 minutes. Lift lid. Fluff with a fork. Fold in lime juice and cilantro.

KITCHEN SMARTS: When selecting better-for-you ingredients, reach for Mazola® Corn Oil​. Ideal for local and international cuisines, use it for baking, grilling, sautéing, and stir frying. Reduce saturated fat and cholesterol in recipes: swap it for butter. Having an all-purpose cooking oil on hand like cholesterol free, Heart Healthy* Mazola® Corn Oil​ makes it simple and easy to prepare better for you meals​.

prep the meat mixture

RECIPE PREP: Rinse and drain black beans. Drain corn and chiles. Shred the cheese. Place measured ingredients near the stove. It’s so satisfying to prepare a nutritious, healthy burrito bowl.

• STEP 1: Warm corn oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pat the raw meat dry between paper towels. This will help prevent it from steaming. Add meat to the hot pan. With a heat-safe spatula, smash it into an even layer. But don’t break up the meat just yet!
• STEP 2: Once edges are brown, flip it over in sections. Brown the second side. Break it up into little pieces. By waiting until this point to break up the meat, we’ve prevented the juices from quickly evaporating and creating steam. Steamed ground beef turns gray and develops a mealy texture. Our burrito bowl will feature juicy brown meat.
• STEP 3: Once the beef is almost cooked through, drain off the fat. Add taco seasoning, water, and tomato sauce. Simmer 2 minutes over medium-low heat.
• STEP 4: Fold in corn, black beans, and chiles. Simmer until sauce has thickened and veggies are warm. About 3 to 4 minutes. Do a taste test. If needed, add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle Monterey Jack cheese over the top. Fold it in. Let it melt.

KITCHEN SECRET: When cooking ground beef in a skillet, chefs often use oil for better browning. This also prevents meat from sticking to the pan.

HOW TO MAKE A BURRITO BOWL

Wide shallow bowls are ideal for serving this Mexican recipe.

FOR BURRITO BOWL MEAL PREP: Use microwave-safe containers with air-tight lids. Store warm ingredients (meat and rice) separate from fresh ingredients.

Here’s how to assemble a healthy burrito bowl.

• STEP 1: Line the bottom of the bowl with a thick layer of shredded lettuce.
• STEP 2: Add a large scoop of cilantro lime rice, and cheesy ground beef or chicken.
• STEP 3: Add shredded cheese, grape tomatoes, avocados, olives, and snapped tortilla chips. Include a few wedges of lime.
• STEP 4: If desired, drizzle the top with sour cream. Serve with hot sauce or your favorite salsa.

ESSENTIAL tips and faq

• WHAT IS A BURRITO BOWL? It’s a burrito served without a tortilla. Healthy fillings are assembled in a bowl. It’s a better-for-you meal.
• WHAT GRIND OF BEEF IS BEST FOR THIS RECIPE? For a lean grind with the best flavor, 85/15 is a good choice. Leaner grinds will be dryer. To make the meat juicer, add a drizzle of corn oil.
• SHOULD YOU SEASON GROUND BEEF BEFORE OR AFTER COOKING? Season meat after browning and draining off the fat. This will prevent the spices from being drained off too. It also prevents salt in the spice mix from drawing out moisture from the beef, making it less juicy.
• WHY IS MAZOLA® CORN OIL A HEART-HEALTHY CHOICE? It has more cholesterol-blocking plant sterols than other cooking oils – 4 times more than olive oil, and 1.5 times more than canola oil. Clinical studies indicate: plant sterols can help reduce absorption of cholesterol in the gut when included in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.
• WHY WRAP THE LID OF THE RICE POT IN A COTTON TOWEL? To prevent sticky rice. We want the individual grains of rice separate, soft and fluffy. A pot of freshly-cooked rice has a lot of steam. The cloth wrapped around the lid absorbs the steam while keeping the rice warm. Why not just remove the lid to let off the steam? When long-grain rice cools it hardens.
• BURRITO BOWL MEAL PREP: Store cooked meat and rice in air-tight containers and refrigerate. Later, when re-warming meat and rice, shred the lettuce. Slice avocado and tomatoes. To save time, use pre-shredded cheese. Assemble the bowls. Garnish healthy burrito bowl as desired.
• ARE BURRITO BOWLS HEALTHY? Absolutely! A homemade burrito bowl features lean protein, veggies, carbs, and healthy fats.
• HOW TO BUILD A HEALTHIER BURRITO BOWL: For more fiber, use brown rice. To cut calories, select low-fat dairy options for cheese and sour cream. Or skip them completely. Replace corn with fajita-style bell peppers and onions. Grill them with heart-healthy Mazola Corn Oil.
• HOW LONG DOES THIS RECIPE LAST IN THE FRIDGE? Stored in an air-tight container, a pre-assembled burrito bowl can stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days. For the best taste and texture, separate fresh crisp ingredients from the warm ingredients (meat and rice).

MORE HEALTHY RECIPES

• SALSA VERDE
• MEXICAN SALSA
• AUTHENTIC MEXICAN GUACAMOLE
• HEALTHY TORTILLA WRAPS

healthy burrito bowl > RATE THIS RECIPE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Those who’ve tried this healthy burrito bowl say it rivals those from their favorite Tex-Mex restaurants. If you agree, give it a 5-star rating in the comments!

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product disclaimerS

Corn oil is a cholesterol-free food containing 14g of total fat per serving. For fat and saturated fat content, see nutrition info on product label or at Mazola.com.

*Very limited and preliminary scientific evidence suggests that eating about 1 tablespoon (16 grams) Mazola® Corn Oil daily may reduce risk of heart disease due to the unsaturated fat content in Mazola® Corn Oil. FDA concludes there’s little scientific evidence supporting this claim. To achieve this possible benefit, replace saturated fat with a similar amount of Mazola® Corn Oil, while not increasing the total number of calories consumed in a day. One serving of Mazola® Corn Oil contains 14 grams.

BURRITO BOWL MEAL PREP > JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Do you prefer make-ahead recipes, or cooking and serving meals the same day? What do you think about this healthy burrito bowl? Share your thoughts in the comments. I’d love to hear from you!