Slow Cooked Tuesday: Beef and Chipotle Burritos

My house smelled amazing when I came home from work on Tuesday.  I opened the back door and between the dog barking and the kids clamoring to get in the house, a warm succulent aroma poured out.  All at once a silence came as we took in the smell that had engulfed us.  Comfort and joy and roasted meat all mixed together.  We couldn’t get into the house fast enough.  “When can we eat?!  When can we eat?!” was what I heard for the next 20 minutes.  I can admit that I was screaming that inside my head as well.



Beef and Chipotle Burritos is a beautiful amalgamation of slow cooked top round steak, sweet onions and tomatoes.  I found the recipe in the newest cookbook in my family, the Better Homes and Gardens “Ultimate Low-Calorie Book”.  (please check out the previous post of Bittersweet Chocolate cake)  This cookbook is amazing.  If you are counting your calories like I am, it will fit perfectly into your cookbook library too!



Here are some notes on the recipe.  I substituted small white flour tortilla for the whole wheat one listed below.  Small changes are easier to handle in my family,  I had a low carb high fiber tortilla that was only 90 calories and it was bigger around so it looked like I was eating more.  Just a note:  make sure the juice is drained from the meat before you scoop it into your tortilla, or you will end up with a puddle on your plate.
Please enjoy and I hope you house smells as fantastic as mine.
Serves 8 with 1/2 cup serving of meat and 3 tablespoons serving of  vegetables

Calories:  361  (309) with low carb tortilla
Fat: 11 grams (4 saturated)
Carbohydrates:  22 grams
Fiber: 12 grams
Protein:  40 grams

Beef and Chipotle Burritos

2 1/2 pounds boneless beef round steak, cut 3/4 inch thick
2 14.5 ounce cans no-salt added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
2 to 3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
8 8-inch whole wheat flour tortillas, warmed
1 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese

1.  Trim the fat from meat.  Cut meat into six pieces.  Place meat in slow cooker.

2.  Add tomatoes, onion chipotle peppers, garlic, oregano, salt and cumin.

         


3.  Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 9 hours or on high heat for 4 to 4 1/2 hours.

4.  Remove meat from cooker, reserving cooking liquid. 

5.  Using two forks pull the meat apart into shreds.  Using a slotted spoon remove tomatoes and onion from cooker; set aside.

6.  Stir enough of the reserved cooking liquid to moisten the meat.  Discard the remaining juices.
7.  Spoon 1/2 cup of the meat just below the center of each warm tortilla.  Top each with about 3 tablespoons of the tomatoes and onion.  If desired, add the cheese.  Roll up the tortillas!

Enjoy!