Mmm, I've always loved cheesy bean and rice burritos from Taco Bell, but they do have 460 calories, and that's a bit high for me. I started making my own at home with low-carb tortillas and a couple of tablespoons nacho cheese dip for the cheese sauce, as well as refried beans (tastes better without the rice). The whole thing is half the calories, and the beans make it really filling. (I think I'll go make one for dinner, actually)

Anyone else have a favorite restaurant food that you now make at home?
Share the recipes!

We do that with a few things. One thing I make sometimes (I know, I know...a lot of people think they're gross) are those "famous bowls" from KFC. Mashed potatoes made without butter, corn or whatever vegetable we have, 2% cheddar, baked chicken, and gravy.

Oh yeah. I used to love the spinach quesadilla from Chi-Chi's - so I make my own healthier version!

Kettle corn. I would use microwave popcorn, spray butter and splenda.

I don't make it anymore because I'm trying to eat more whole goods, but that was a yummy snack and very filling!

Ahhh Chi-Chi's, we used to have one here in Calgary YEARS ago. I miss it

I am a sucker for Taco Bell though I'll usually get myself a Chicken Quesidilla when i'm really hankering for it. It's not GOOD but it's not awfully horrible. AND It's very filling.

Isn't popcorn essentially a whole grain?

I'm going to start making my own soft chicken fresco (Taco Bell) tacos with the 50 calorie La Tortilla Factory tortillas. I picked up a bottle of Taco Bell sauce today, so I'm all set.

2 slices lite bread toasted--70 cal
2 egg whites cooked in egg ring--34 cal
slice ff cheese--40 cal
slice deli ff turkey--15 cal

159 cal vs 300cal egg mcmuffin

here in oregon we have a place called Cafe Yumm! and they make Yumm! bowls - rice, beans, cheese, sour cream, salsa, tomatoes, avocado, olives and cilantro is what's usually in a standard one- with their Yumm Sauce to go with it. Very fatty but still- healthier and more filling then fast food.

I buy the sauce, use a lot less by tossing it w/ my rice (brown instead of jasmine), black beans, a sprinkle of shredded cheese, one or two sliced green olives, avocado, tomato, low fat sour cream and good to go. so delish and VERY filling.

i do tacos and burritos a lot too- with ff refried beans, ground turkey, i won't do fat free cheese so i just use finely shredded and use less of it. oh- using a lean cut pork chop to make pulled pork is another one i do a lot. toss it in the crock pot all day w/ a little bit of whatever sauce i'm gonna use diluted w/ water, maybe some sliced onion- come home and shred it, use a little more sauce on whole grain bread. num!

I made crockpot pinto beans with jalapenos, onion, and garlic overnight. Then put some in the food processor and had ff refried beans. Added a little Taco Bell Taco sauce and cheese and good to go. The rest of the beans were used in my chili. I think the whole big bag of beans cost about $2.00. Lot cheaper and better that a can of refried or pintos. I love Taco Bells Pintos and cheese.

good ideas, all. I'm definately going to have to make my own KFC famous bowl, stacy.

Kindof funny how most of us are stealing Taco Bell recipes!

I love love love the chili-cheese burrito at Taco Bell...I don't even think they have them anymore, but when they did I ate them all the time. Considering that they were quite large and filled with cheese and chili meat, I am sure they were pretty high-calorie.

A few nights ago I made some lean taco filling (from a recipe in an ATK cookbook I have), put it in a warmed soft tortilla with chopped tomato, chopped red pepper, a squirt of lime juice, and 1 Tbs of light sour cream, and HOLY COW it tasted exactly like the chili-cheese burrito! Which is amazing since I was able to omit the cheese completely! I wasn't even planning that, but when I realized that it tasted like my childhood favorite, I was so excited.

Mexican, but not Taco Bell, I've had wonderful Mexican restaurant shrimp cocktails that I duplicate at home. I thaw cooked shrimp and toss them in a mixture of Pace picante sauce and fresh salsa (or I make my own with chopped green onion, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeno and tomato juice) a splash of lime juice and chopped avocado (avocado, optional). The restaurant version tends to have a thinner sauce than mine (more like a gazpacho), and always includes the avocado, and usually serve it with soda crackers.

Sounds good! -- can you give us the recipe?

I noticed all the Taco Bell dupicating too! We do mexican, but never Taco Bell. Living in San Diego has made me a mexican food snob. I loved Taco Bell when I lived in Pennsylvania though! My mom and I would eat soft tacos till the cows came home. Haha.