Burritoville

Chicago’s obsession with Chipotle baffles me to no end. Come 12:00pm the lines go out the door, down the block, around the corner. And this is consistent from location to location. Do people realize what they’re waiting for? Well, I’ll you what they’re waiting for and it ain’t pretty…

I love, love Mexican food—chips, salsa, quesadillas, beans (both black and refried), the whole enchilada. I just have a really hard time when I have no idea how many carbs are in my tortilla. A 13” tortilla shell alone can have 50 carbs. 50 carbs equals about 3 pieces of fruit…So, last night my husband and I made grilled mushroom and onion burritos with yellow rice, black beans, a sprinkle of low-fat cheese and non-fat shells (as usual I played the role of menu-planner/sous chef and cleaner-uper). Knowing exactly what I was eating, where it came from, and the nutritionals, made it all the more delicioso. And three hours post dinner my blood sugars rocked.

A quick visit to http://www.chipotlefan.com/ allows me to see what I would have subjected myself to had I opted not to cook at home and decided to fast-food it instead. I enter my ingredients into the calculator: tortilla shell, rice, beans, veggies, cheese, salsa. Holy guacamole! Check this out…

Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 815	Cal from Fat 269
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 31g	48%
Saturated Fat 9g 45% Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 30mg	10%
Sodium 2628mg	110%
Total Carbs 105g	35%
Dietary Fiber 15g 60% Sugars 10g
Protein 29g
Vitamin A 0% • Vitamin C 0% Calcium 0% • Iron 0%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
INGREDIENTS: 13" Tortilla,Rice,Black Beans,Fajita Veggies,Cheese,Tomato Salsa,Lettuce

I’d have to swim for 2.3 hours to burn that off (we’re talking leisurely pace, not like Michael Phelps). Or, if I were my father, vacuum the house for 3.9 hours straight. Now there’s some perspective for you.