High-Protein Apple Pie Burritos

Cinnamon apples folded into a blended cottage cheese and Greek yogurt cream, rolled in a tortilla, and baked until the outside spots. No protein powder.

By Brandon Carroll

Yield: 2 burritos

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Total: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 large high-protein or carb-balance tortillas
• 1 medium apple, peeled and cut into small dice (about 180 g)
• 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Pinch of fine salt
• 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese, 1% or 2% (226 g)
• 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt (120 g)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon sugar-free sweetener, or 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 large egg, beaten, for brushing

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment.
2. Blend the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon, sweetener, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
3. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the apple, lemon juice, remaining cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook until the apple is just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Cool 2 minutes, then fold it into the cheese blend.
4. Warm the tortillas so they fold without cracking. Divide the filling. Fold in the sides, then roll into burritos. Set them seam-down on the pan and brush with the beaten egg.
5. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until the tortillas are spotted and crisp. Air fryer: 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes. Rest 2 minutes before cutting.

Notes

No protein powder. The protein is cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, egg wash, and whatever the tortilla brings.

Filling only, split across 2 burritos, estimated from USDA values for 1% cottage cheese, nonfat Greek yogurt, a medium apple, butter, and half an egg: about 200 calories and 22 g protein per burrito. Add the tortilla from the package. A 7 g protein tortilla puts the whole burrito near 27 g protein. A 15 g protein tortilla puts it near 35 g.

Granny Smith stays sharper. Honeycrisp bakes softer. Do not cook the apple to mush or the filling weeps.

Canned apple pie filling works. Use 3/4 to 1 cup, chopped, and drain it so the burrito does not go soggy. Skip the butter, lemon, and sweetener. The can is already sweet and spiced. Warm it 1 minute in a skillet to drive off extra syrup, cool, then fold it into the cheese blend. A full 21-ounce can is too much for this batch.

Seam down, and do not overfill. A wet roll splits in the oven.