Busy month and a recipe!

Life is crazy right now, that's all there is to it. I'm sure its become evident by my lack of consistent posting this month, but when things do get crazy, the blog suffers. That's just the way it has to be.

This is my final, capstone semester in the nursing program and I could not be more excited/scared to death. The light at the end of the tunnel is finally in sight. It's almost time for me to be a real nurse! When I think about how in just a few short months I will be on my own, the thought seems kind of incomprehensible.

Even though this semester is different than any other and I have more ability to schedule my own clinicals, I had my first real breakdown at the beginning of this week. That's what happens in nursing school... it makes you stronger and I know it will all be worth it. A typical week this semester consists of: class on Thursdays from 8-5, working part time in the records office (15-18 hours a week, depending on the week), one or two 12 hour shifts a week, and then a couple hours a week working in community health nursing. It's definitely been busy.

The hardest part is the exhausted/drained feeling that seems to overwhelm me by the end of the day; it makes it hard to fit in all of the things in my life that ground me and keep me sane. Luckily, I've still been able to exercise 5-6 days a week, but all of the extra things have started to get pushed aside. Blogging, projects, and COOKING... all of the non-essential, fun things.

On Tuesday night, I decided to put everything aside, and make myself something for dinner; something other than a sandwhich, omelette, bowl of cereal, or a can of soup. It was delightful. I found this recipe for Spicy Bean Burritos on Annie's Eats and with the thought of a new package of Tortilla Land raw tortillas, no chicken in the freezer, and that New Years' Resolution to eat more beans in mind, I knew I had to make it. I loved it and Chad said he would definitely eat it again. Score! This recipe comes highly recommended.

Spicy Bean Burritos
Yield: about 6 servings

Ingredients:
For the bean filling:
2 tsp. canola or vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. minced cilantro
1 tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. kosher salt
Dash cayenne pepper
1/3 cup water, vegetable broth or chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
6 tbsp. fresh salsa

For serving:
6 (9- or 10-inch) flour tortillas, warmed
Shredded cheese
Diced tomatoes
Shredded romaine lettuce
Low-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt

Directions:
To make the bean filling, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, chili powder, chipotle, cumin, salt and cayenne; stir, cooking just until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Add the beans and the water or broth to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the salsa and mash the mixture with a spoon or fork.

Spoon about a third of a cup of the bean mixture down the center of each tortilla. Top each serving with a pinch of shredded cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, green onions and sour cream. Roll the tortilla up tightly, burrito style, and serve immediately.