Tofu Breakfast Burritos

Well, as much as I like the rain, it makes taking a jog all the more uncomfortable. Especially when it's wet and cold; now a warm, tropical rain...that would probably be amazing.

I just figured that while I'm sitting around NOT jogging, but slowly realizing that I have a Biology and Organic Chemistry midterm next Friday, I might as well post my breakfast burrito recipe!

[Buh - rr trill rr - i - to!]

I was majorly tired of eating this 7 Grain hot cereal stuff for brekke every morning, so I thought, how about some good protein and veggies?

And so out of experimentation and whatever vegetables I had lying around, the Elizabeth-variety tofu breakfast burrito was born....

Gather:

avocado mush

Extra-firm tofu (the really solid brick kind)
1 avocado
Crimini mushrooms
fresh spinach
bell pepper
onion
*brown rice flour tortilla
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
several drops lime juice
a little olive oil
*seasoning: 1/2 tsp. cumin, black pepper, sea salt

Do:

1. Heat the chopped mushrooms, onion, bell pepper in a skillet over medium-high heat, with a little olive oil
2. Rinse tofu, squeeze water out of it (use cloth or paper towels)
3. Mash the tofu into a crumble using clean hands, or a fork.
4. Add the tofu to the skillet
5. Mix the seasoning together in a small bowl. I suggest 1/2 a teaspoon of cumin, and dashes of salt
and pepper.
6. Mash 1/2 an avocado several drops of lime, and 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. dijon mustard together.
7. Heat brown rice tortilla, spread avocado mixture on it, and put a few spoonfuls of tofu-veg mixture inside.

I know you can burrito better than this

8. Burrito it up and devour.

*I freeze my tortillas for their longevity, so make sure to let them first thaw before heating. Brown rice tortillas have no wheat and therefore no gluten, so they will break easier. Be gentle!

*The seasoning is completely up to you! Black pepper and cumin are especially great, but be imaginative. These are your burritos.

The same goes for vegetables...use whatever is in your fridge! I use an iron skillet; especially if you are on a vegetarian diet, iron skillets are great because a little iron scrapes off into your food, and bam!, you've got more iron in your body.

More on Iron....

If you have an iron deficiency, but want to maintain a vegan/vegetarian diet, I recommend Dulse (a dark red sea vegetable HIGH in iron), and the foods on this list (not all are vegetarian sources):
Iron Sources

Dulse

In addition to eating foods high in iron, absorption of iron by your body can be increased by eating citrus fruits (orange juice too). Iron absorption is diminished from consuming coffee or tea.

Keep in mind that if you go to donate blood, but your iron level is too low, it does not necessarily mean that you have an iron deficiency. Blood banks want your iron level to be higher than normal, so next time eat a lot of iron and citrus (avoid coffee and tea) 2 days before you plan on donating blood.

I hope you like the recipe above...I always look forward to it, and even had it for dinner a few times last week. Let me know about your experimentations and if you end up birthing your own variety of breakfast burrito!

Good luck on donating blood/raising your iron levels!