Minced Beef Egg Burritos (2024)

I don’t dare say it aloud just yet, but I think I’m starting to get the hang of eating less of foods that have gluten, in particular, foods that are made of wheat.

OK, there you go, I’ve finally breathed it out loud, put it down into words and declared it to the world. You see, I’ve been tempted to go on grain-free diets every now and then, but the idea of giving up beautiful delicious foods like pasta (my glorious Italian pasta!!), breads (what do you do without toast during a Sunday brunch), or cakes (how on earth can I give up cakes, even if I don’t eat them often?) seemed earth-shatteringly impossible.

Now that it’s 2014 though, and we’re working on a clean slate, I might make an attempt at a lesser-grain diet.

I won’t promise that I will give up grains completely – right now there are just too many foods that make use of grains and wheat flours that it might be too difficult a goal to achieve.

But after reading about all the bad effects of gluten and grains on our bodies (some people manifest very obvious allergies to grains, such as those with celiac disease, others experience leaky gut and inflammation which mean lead to acne, diarrhea etc), I think I might have sufficient motivation to start eating less gluten and grains.

Theory has it that our bodies were not evolved to eat processed foods such as grains, and therefore we are experiencing so many types of diseases that our ancestors never even imagined.

Could it really be true?

Whatever the case, I’ve read enough testimonials to believe that giving up grains and gluten is good for you; at the very least, you lose tummy flab and start to gain a toner looking body (with a regular exercise routine to accompany the diet, of course).

So, since it’s the new year, I’m going to take a stab at it.

The thing that is most difficult to do when I’m trying to stick to a particular diet (in this case one that has as little grains and processed foods as possible) is thinking up of fun, interesting foods to cook and eat. Foods that will taste so good that you won’t even remember what you’re missing, and will leave you feeling full and satiated for a prolonged period of time.

Enter the minced beef egg burritos that I adapted from Paleogasm, a cookbook with 150 grain-free, gluten-free recipes that could last you a long, long time!

I love that these minced beef egg burritos are fun to eat and assemble (just like you would any burrito with a wheat or corn taco shell), and that they’re colorful and pretty to the eyes (imagine browned mince meat mixed with sauteed red and green bell peppers and onions, wrapped in a bright yellow spring onion egg omelet). Not just that, it has all the protein (from meat and eggs) and the fibers you need (from the vegetables). Plus plenty of amazing taste to boot.

I must, must, must tell you about Paleogasm.

In the Paleogasm cookbook, author Camille Macres uses her experience as a culinary chef and desire to eat healthy, unprocessed food to create recipes that are creative and out-of-the-box. Recipes that you might never have imagined possible without the use of grains and wheat flour. Recipes such as crepes, muffins, chocolate and cakes! Oohhhhh yes, please!

I’m incredibly excited to cook through Paleogasm, and if you’re into healthy, clean eating (like I am now), I think this book will be great to start with.

I’m off to eat my burritos, and here’s a toast to a grain-free, gluten-free lifestyle!

MINCED BEEF EGG BURRITOS (Makes 4 burritos, serves 2)
Adapted from Paleogasm

Ingredients:

1) 5 eggs, beaten
2) 1/2 cup of milk
3) 1/4 cup of water
4) 2 spring onions, sliced thinly
5) 500g of minced beef (or chicken, pork or lamb)
6) 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced
7) 1 small green bell pepper, seeded and diced
8) 1 large onion, peeled and diced
9) 2 garlic cloves, minced
10) 1 teaspoon meat seasoning
11) Salt & pepper to taste

Steps:

1) Seed and dice the bell peppers evenly, then peel and dice the onion, and slice the spring onions
2) With a little oil, saute the diced onions, garlic and bell peppers over medium heat until softened
3) Meanwhile, marinate the minced beef (or other minced meat you prefer) with meat seasoning and salt and pepper, mixing them well with your fingers
3) Once vegetables have been cooked, add in marinated minced beef and stir-fry until meat is browned throughout, making sure to stir often so the meat and vegetables don’t get burnt
4) While meat is cooking, beat the eggs in a bowl and mix well with milk, water, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Then add in the sliced spring onions, reserving some for garnish.
5) Using a ladle, scoop out enough egg mixture to a lightly greased non-stick pan, and form a thin, plain omelette
6) Allow the egg mixture to cook well and when it unsticks by itself from the pan, flip over and cook the other side
7) Repeat until no more egg mixture is left (you should be able to make 4 omelettes)
8) Lay each omelette on a plate, scoop about one ladle of minced beef mixture, and then roll like a burrito. To prevent egg burrito from unrolling, I used a toothpick in the middle to hold it in place
9) Serve warm and garnish with sliced spring onions

P.S. If you’re wondering why I’m trying to eliminate wheat from my life, I strongly recommendWheat Belly – a book that will empower you and make you determined to get rid of wheat and it’s terrible health effects!