Stuck at home and missing the comforts of some of your favorite restaurants? Or maybe yours still deliver, but you’re working on keeping your budget under control - WE GOT YOU EITHER WAY. We make these Copycat Burrito Bowls probably once a week, and even more so now that we aren’t really visiting our favorite place for healthier fast food options (Chipotle!).

In the past, when we haven’t wanted to cook, we’ve always gravitated towards Chipotle because they typically have grain-free options, and most of the time they source their meats and veggies from local businesses when they can. Right now, while everyone is practicing #socialdistancing we’re missing these little bowls even more so than usual. And while I’m about to show you just how you can get a copycat version at home, nothing beats being able to just show up, point, pay, and sit down and enjoy a meal with a margarita that SOMEONE ELSE PREPARED. This comes in a close second though, I promise you!

Side note, does this social distancing season just make you feel eternally grateful for the small things? I never really understood just how much I enjoyed the sound of people in a bustling coffee shop, or really the simple pleasure of being able to hop in my car and drive wherever I wanted to go. While I am 100% on-board for social distancing, I am looking forward to the day when I’ll be able to soak in a hug from a friend, a handshake, or heck even sitting beside someone at a coffee shop table to do work. Learning so much about myself and what really matters during this time, and while it’s definitely not all rainbows and butterflies over here, I can feel a sense of gratitude rising up for this time of looking inward and what it will do when we finally do re-emerge!

Ok, you probably are here for the recipe and not my random ramblings, so here you go folks!

COPYCAT BURRITO BOWLS

Ingredients:

Serves about 4

For the Corn Salsa:

• 10 oz frozen corn kernels (defrosted)

• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced

• 1/2 large avocado, diced

• 1/4 red onion, diced

• 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

• 1 whole lime, juiced

• 3/4 cup cilantro, chopped

• 2 tsps. olive oil

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

For the Beef Mixture:

• 2 lbs ground beef

• 1-2 tbsps Smoky Blend

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1 tbsp cooking oil (avocado, olive, coconut)

For the salad base:

• Greens of your choice (we like chopped romaine and arugula)

Optional Extras:

• white or cauliflower rice

• sprouted beans

• sour cream or greek yogurt

• shredded cheese

• tortilla chips

Directions:

1. First assemble the corn salsa, by mixing all of the ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl to fully incorporate.

2. To make the ground beef, add your oil to a large pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add your ground beef to the pan.

3. Add the smoky blend and salt and pepper, then cook until fully cooked through. (if you don’t have a smoky blend, a combination of paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder will do well!).

4. Remove the ground beef from the pan and set aside for assembly.

5. To assemble your bowls, add your greens to your bowl, then add optional layers of rice and beans, then top with ground beef, then top with corn salsa and then optional toppings.

6. ENJOY!