Unconventional Burritos

Friday night for dinner, we finally made these unconventional burritos I have been meaning to make for God knows how long. The Sweet Potato-Walnut Burritos lived up to their expectation for sure. With the lentils, sweet potatoes, walnuts, and intense spices, these burritos pack a hearty punch. Adam and I decided that we actually liked the filling better when not baked in a tortilla shell. Saturday for lunch we deconstructed the burrito by heating up the filling, turning it into a dip, and frying a tortilla into chips. Although the dip was not very attractive, I felt like it was more flavorful than it's burrito counterpart. Definitely worth trying!

Sweet Potato-Walnut Burritos (Three Bowls)

This recipe took a lot of pots and pans to make, but don't let that turn you off. All of the components complement each other so well, you really can't leave any of them (or the pots) out.

1/2 cup green lentils or split peas, rinsed well, and drained (we used lentils)
1 large sweet potato (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1/2 cup grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and ground or chopped, if desired
3/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes

Shredded green cabbage, for lining the baking pan, optional (we omitted this step and simply sprayed the baking pan with cooking spray)
6 8-inch flour tortillas
1 large tomato, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, optional

1. Place the lentils or split peas and 1 1/3 cups water for lentils or 1 1/2 cups water for peas in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender yet firm, 25 to 35 minutes for lentils, 1 hour and 15 minutes for peas. Drain and set aside.
2. Place the sweet potato in a medium saucepan with just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the cubes are soft but still hold their shape, about 20 minutes. Drain and mash them in a large bowl. Set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and salt and saute, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Saute until the onion is translucent, about 6 minutes more. Add the onion mixture, lentils or split peas, 1/2 cup of the cheese, the walnuts, and crushed tomatoes to the mashed sweet potato and mix well.
4. To Assemble and Bake the Burritos: Preheat the oven to 350. Place a thin bed of shredded cabbage in a 9-x-13-inch baking dish, if desire, or lightly coat the dish with spray, oil, or butter. Fill a tortilla with about one-sixth of the filling and roll it securely. Place it seam side down in the baking dish. Continue with the remaining tortillas. Cover the dish tightly with foil. (You can prepare the burritos 1 to 2 hours ahead up to this point and store at room temperature.) Bake for 30 minutes, or until heated through.
5. Remove the foil from the baking dish. Place 1 or 2 tomato slices on each burrito. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese over them and return the dish to the oven for a few minutes to melt it. Place the burritos on a platter and sprinkle with the cilantro or parsley, if desire. Serve immediately.