I have been known to eat more than my fair share of Chipotle burrito bowls (vegetarian, with the sauteed vegetables, extra hot sauce). I tend to go for the bowl and skip the 300-calorie tortilla. The burrito bowl happens for dinner at least once a week. Recently, I have been a little dismayed by the lines at the local Chipotle. I figured in the time it takes to drive there, wait in line, have some surly person be stingy with the hot sauce and drive back, I could make it myself cheaper, faster and with less attitude. But how did it turn out? Read on.
I started with my new rice cooker. I was way to lazy to chop cilantro or add lime juice to the rice, so I just made plain white rice. I set the cooker up in the morning and by dinner time I had perfect, fluffy rice. I bought: two avocados, black beans, canned corn, some Morningstar Farms fake chicken, an onion and two green peppers. I already had salsa, cheese and hot sauce. This would make at least two meals each for FKGuy and me.
Price wise, I thought it was more expensive to do at home, as I spent roughly $19 on ingredients. But for two dinners and two lunches, it is not so bad. The same four meals at Chipotle would have been about $24, and it would have been free of chicken, fake or otherwise.
But then there is the chopping and cooking. Here is the deal: Cutting an onion and two peppers and subsequently sauteing them is not terribly taxing. I spent about 15 minutes on the entire meal. Yes, I had to clean it all up, but that is why I have a dishwasher.
But how did it taste? Yummy. Seriously, rice topped with salsa, cheese, beans, corn, hot sauce, guacamole and “chicken” is hard to screw up. Next time I will get the cilantro and add a squeeze of lime to the rice. But overall, I was pleased. I could have as much hot sauce as I like, sans the surly attitude and long lines.
Of course, I will still go to Chipotle when it is convenient (like this afternoon, before I drop our guests off at the airport), but making it at home is super-easy and delish.
Have you recreated restaurant meals at home? Have they turned out good? Inedible? I want to hear about it.
