Just the word "burrito" conjures up thoughts of high-calorie, high-fat fare that has no place on a blog about healthy eating. But, burritos should, quite frankly, be a staple on every healthy menu. It all depends what you stuff inside that tortilla. First, choose your wrap -- there are so many healthy wraps to choose from: regular flour, whole-grain, low-carb and even wheat-free tortillas made with grains like quinoa. Next, you can choose a bounty of fresh and wholesome ingredients to cram inside before you roll up. Burritos aren't deep fried and not necessarily baked (though you can bake them as I've done below). That means they make quick and easy meals for any day of the week. In fact, I often make burritos with leftovers from the fridge (cooked rice, veggies, fresh salsa and cooked chicken or steak). I like baking my burritos because it melts the cheese and lightly toasts the tortilla, giving the outside a bit of a crust and a lot more flavor.

This recipe below is the perfect starting point for all future recipes. Swap out or add your favorite veggies, chicken, shrimp, tofu or steak. You can also change up the beans; pinto, navy and white beans are good too. Lastly, you can skip the baking part too – for warm tortillas, simply heat them in the microwave for a few seconds. Have fun!

Note: To save time, I used Uncle Ben’s brown basmati rice that cooks in just 90 seconds.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Heat the oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, jalapeno and garlic and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and golden. Add the cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper and stir to coat. Add the carrots, zucchini and corn and cook for 3 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the beans, rice and picante sauce and remove from heat.

Arrange the tortillas on a flat surface. Spoon and equal amount of the vegetable filling onto each tortilla (right down the middle). Top the filling with the cheese (2 tablespoons each). Roll over one side of the tortilla to cover the filling. Fold in the ends and then roll up completely. Arrange the burritos, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until warm and golden. Top each burrito with sour cream and cilantro before serving.