Quick and Easy Dinner
If you like shrimp, I bet you will enjoy this delicious, satisfying Shrimp and Veggie Burrito. Not only does it have tasty big bites of shrimp, but it also provides the extra nutrients of spinach and cauliflower, all at a lower calorie count.
Burritos of any kind are one of my favorite Mexican dishes, whether eating at home or dining out. Usually my requirements for home cooking are 1) fast and 2) easy. Burritos meet both requirements To keep it easy, all you need is a bag of frozen cooked shrimp, a can of fat free refried beans (or your own fresh or frozen variety), low fat cheese, and the veggies.
I like to lighten up recipes wherever I can when I fix them. That is another reason I like to add spinach and cauliflower to burritos. Mixed with the fat free beans, the vegetables make one can (or two cups) plenty to fill four burritos.
Be sure to include fresh cilantro for that special Mexican flavor. Just smelling cilantro makes my mouth water.
To finish off the meal, try serving it with Mexican Cabbage Salad. Light and refreshing to go along with the burrito.
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- ½ cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup cauliflower, cut in small bites
- 1 cup spinach, chopped
- 2 green onions, sliced for garnish
- 2 limes, quartered
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 10 to 12 large cooked shrimp, cut in 3 or 4 pieces
- ½ cup cheese, grated
- 2 cups or 1 can refried beans
- 4 tortillas
- 1 cup or more salsa or hot sauce
- Assemble all your ingredients, then chop veggies as listed. Prepare 4 plates as well so they are ready for the finished burritos. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a large skillet heat olive oil then sauté garlic, chopped onion, and cauliflower for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often.
- Mix in refried beans until heated through, stirring to blend so it doesn't stick.
- Add shrimp, spinach and cilantro, heat 2 minutes or until thoroughly hot.
- Divide mixture onto 4 tortillas, scooped into the center of the tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese, as much as you would like.
- Fold in the bottom, then the two sides, wrapping snuggly. Place in a sprayed baking pan, fold side down.
- Sprinkle with additional cheese and sliced green onion.
- Bake in oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. If you prefer, you can place them on a platter and microwave for 1 to 2 minutes.
Roughly chop cauliflower and spinach
Spinach and Cauliflower Add So Much
Spinach is one of the top foods for nutrition, especially for brain health, so it goes in most everything I cook these days. Everything but desserts, that is–at least so far. Chopped and added to meat dishes, casseroles, eggs, soups, and more, it provides iron, antioxidants, calcium and a near alphabet of vitamins. It’s also extremely low in calories, so you can add as much as you like.
Cauliflower is another vegetable that now gets thrown into whatever I’m cooking. It has the ability to blend so you don’t especially taste the cauliflower, but you do get the bulk and texture from it. You won’t taste it in this recipe, so even if you are not a fan, you can sneak some in here. It makes the burrito even more satisfying without many calories at all.
Whenever I buy a cauliflower it gets prepped all at once for the week. Some of it will be cut into bite sized pieces for a recipe like this. Some will be grated–a process that takes seconds using my Ninja, some will be left in large chunks for steaming or to eat raw with dip.
Once that is prepped, it’s a simple matter of sautéing the ingredients together. Top with some low fat cheese, and you have a pretty, filling, healthier burrito that will satisfy most appetites.
Divide the shrimp and veggie mix onto the 4 tortillas
Prefer Vegetarian or Chicken Burritos?
If shrimp isn’t your favorite, these adapt to any meat or no meat! Sometimes I will cook chicken breasts in the crockpot with salsa or another Mexican seasoning. When it’s done, I’ll shred it, package it into servings, and freeze it. Then it is a simple matter to add shredded chicken to this burrito recipe instead of shrimp.
Often, since I don’t eat meat or poultry very often, I will just add more cauliflower and spinach and have veggie burritos. Also delicious and filling.
The versatility of a burrito is one of the things I like best. Add as much of any ingredient as you like. Throw in mushrooms, peppers, or other favorite veggies.
It’s also an excellent way to increase your family’s vegetable intake. Do you have children who don’t like vegetables? You can easily get one or two servings into one burrito. Chances are they won’t even notice!
Another serving with salsa
The Fast Way to Prep Vegetables and More
I’ve always found it relaxing to dice and chop vegetables when I am cooking. Still, after seeing a friend’s food chopper, I decided it might be time to add one to my kitchen arsenal. I researched several. After trying a regular blender and returning it since it wouldn’t even crush ice properly, I found the Ninja Master Prep Professional. There are not many small appliances I have been so impressed with. The cauliflower pictured here was chopped in less than 10 seconds. It crushes ice, grinds coffee, even blends frozen butter and flour for scones, all in seconds. You can see lots more photos and read my review here.
The Ninja Master Prep Professional
Unlike most blenders that have the blades at the very bottom, the design of the Ninja is so much more effective. The motor is on top, the blades are doubled, and when you pull the blades out you have full access to the bottom of the container. I’ll use the small container for most chopping, the the other two for smoothies, slushes, pureeing, and more. Every single thing I have tried so far is finished in seconds. It continues to amaze me! 
Preparing to Serve Your Dish
That is all there is to it. I always serve burritos with salsa, lime, and hot sauce for those who want it. For sides I love fresh fruit for a light and sweet extra. It’s also great with a salad, chips and salsa, and Mexican rice.
If you like to serve a combination plate, with a taco or relleno, I would suggest making the burritos smaller. The recipe would easily stretch to 6 servings in that case.
However you like them, they are one of the most satisfying dishes with lovely blended flavors.
Enjoy!
Finished and Ready to Serve… The Shrimp and Veggie Burrito
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