DEL TACO: MACHO BEEF BURRITO

SAVE: 469 CALORIES, 40 G FAT, 19 G SAT. FAT

When the clerk at Del Taco handed me my nicely wrapped burrito, I thought, “That’s not a meal, it’s a carry-on bag!” I then proceeded directly to a Mexican market—the only place I knew to secure a “Burrito Grande” flour tortilla (at 12 inches, it was still an inch smaller than the one I was served at Del Taco).

Though I personally don’t think it wise to eat 1,170 calories and 62 grams of fat in one sitting (that’s pretty much my calorie budget for a whole day, and my fat budget for 2 days), I do think the folks at Del Taco gave their burrito a good name. A macho guy with a labor-intensive job where his muscles get beefed up all day (i.e., a construction worker) could justify eating the 700-plus calories and 22 grams of fat in my made-over version. The rest of us might want to stick to eating half of it or trying my “Even Better” version.

1 flour tortilla (12")

1 tablespoon packaged low-sodium taco seasoning

¼ cup water

6 ounces 96% lean ground beef (about ¾ cup)

2 tablespoons light sour cream

2 ounces (about 1 cup) finely shredded low-fat yellow Cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce

¾ cup chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons mild green taco sauce

1 tablespoon mild red taco sauce

PREHEAT the oven to 300°F. Wrap the tortilla completely in aluminum foil so it remains flat. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the taco seasoning and water. Stir until smooth. Set aside.

Preheat a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until drops of water sizzle when splashed on the pan. Crumble the beef into the pan. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until no longer pink. Stir in the reserved seasoning mixture. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, or until no liquid remains.

Meanwhile, place the wrapped tortilla in the oven. Bake for about 5 minutes, or until warmed.

Place the tortilla on a plate (the sides may drape over the edges). Spread the sour cream, leaving about 1" bare on both ends, in an even strip (about 4" wide) running across the center. Top the sour cream evenly with the cheese, the ground beef mixture, lettuce, and tomatoes. Drizzle on the green and red taco sauces. Fold both bare ends over the filling ingredients. Roll the tortilla tightly, finishing it seam-side down on the plate.

MAKES 1 SERVING

701 calories, 54 g protein, 64 g carbohydrates, 22 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 4 g fiber

Original Del Taco Macho Beef Burrito: 1,170 calories, 60 g protein, 89 g carbohydrates, 62 g fat, 29 g sat. fat, 7 g fiber

EVEN BETTER Replace the 12" regular full-fat tortilla with a 98% fat-free 10" (standard burrito size) flour tortilla. Reduce the amount of beef to 4 ounces and use only 2 teaspoons taco seasoning. Reduce the cheese to ½ cup, the sour cream to 1 tablespoon, the red taco sauce to 2 teaspoons, and the tomatoes to ¼ cup. When you roll this one, it will be too full to tuck in the sides.

You’ll still be left with a hearty burrito—one that’s much more balanced: 405 calories, 37 g protein, 45 g carbohydrates, 8 g fat, 4 g sat. fat, 5 g fiber. You’ll save 765 calories, 54 g fat, and 25 g sat. fat.