Autumn Burritos

I think that Mexican food is great. Enchiladas, quesadillas, nachos, huevos rancheros -- I love it all! Give me any form of beans topped with salsa, melted cheddar, sour cream, and guacamole and I'm one happy lady. It's only natural, then, that one of my favorite standby recipes is for simple and healthy burritos. But, as wonderful as these burritos are, there's something that I like even better -- pumpkin burritos!

When Costco starts selling pureed pumpkin in bulk, I stock up. And when I do, pumpkin begins finding its way into everything, from muffins to eggs to cottage cheese. I can't help myself, the stuff is so darned delicious! Of all my pumpkin-laced foods, my favorite is this tasty burrito. The combination of spices and flavors is quite tangy without loosing the taste of the pumpkin itself. They can be topped with cheddar, guacamole, or salsa -- I prefer mine with fat-free quark. The burritos are just as good plain, though. In fact, I often can't decide if I want naked or quarked burritos, so I'll make four little burritos and put quark on just two. The best of both worlds!

I found the inspiration for this recipe somewhere on the internet, I'm sure, but have since lost track of the original source. It's probably somewhere on All Recipes, but who knows for sure now? What I do is know is that these burritos taste amazing and always hit the spot.

Perfectly Pumpkin Burritos

4-8 corn tortillas (6 in.)
cooking spray
toppings of your choice

For the filling:
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup black beans
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 T soy sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 T chili powder
3/4 tsp cumin
pinch of cayenne

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover a baking sheet with a layer of non-stick cooking spray.

In a small bowl, mix the filling ingredients. Stir until well-blended.

Microwave the tortillas for approximately 15 seconds so they are floppy and don't crack when rolled. Spoon the filling into the tortillas. This amount of filling will either make 4 stuffed burritos, or 8 more modest burritos. (I usually halve the recipe and have 4 modest burritos, which total about 270 calories when topped with 1/4 cup fat-free quark.) Add shredded cheddar if you choose. Roll the tortillas closed, securing them in place with toothpicks.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until the tortillas are crispy and browned. Remove and garnish with toppings of your choice, from sour cream to guacamole to salsa. Enjoy while warm!