Baked Chimichangas

Let's face it, chimichangas taste best when they are deep fried. But, let's also face it, deep frying is not a healthy choice. Quite frankly, I was starting to feel guilty about the number of times I made crispy tofu in the past month or so, and with many readers praising the "healthy meals" I was making for my family guilt was turning to paranoia. Surely some Skinny Bitch fan was going to call me out on the carpet . . . . Anyway, baking the chimis really works well--they are still crispy and don't make your house smell like the school cafeteria.

INGREDIENTS

Feel free to stuff these with whatever you want. This is what I did.

- 1 tbsp oil

- 1 onion, diced

- 1 tsp ground anise

- 1 tsp oregano

- 2 tsp chili powder

- 1 tsp cumin

- 1 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- 1 cup TVP

- 1 1/2 cup water

- 10 large wheat tortillas

- 1 can refried beans

- salsa

- oil for brushing

METHOD

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

1. Heat oil in frying pan and saute onion over medium heat until golden brown. Add spices and TVP and mix well. Add water and cook for 5 mins. Set aside to cool.

2. Slather a thick line of refried beans in the middle of the tortilla. Top with 1/10 of the TVP mixture and a generous tbsp of salsa. Fold tortillas chimichanga style (i.e. close both ends). Brush with canola oil and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or a non-stick sheet).

3. Bake for 20-25 mins. Serve with tofu sour cream, chopped tomatoes, lettuce, and salsa.