When I hear the word “taquito,” I immediately think of 7-11. More specifically, the 7-11 in Blacksburg, VA where I went to college. Twelve years ago, my idea of a snack was taquitos from that 7-11. Taquitos, I might add, that had been sitting out for days and were probably filled with the lowest-grade meat possible.  I cringe at the thought now, but back then, I didn’t know any better.

It’s been years since I’ve had a taquito craving, and, as I no longer frequent 7-11 for my meals, it’s been years since I’ve eaten a taquito. So, when I received a cookbook in the mail to review for Capital Cooking titled, “Clean Eating for Busy Families,” imagine my surprise when it contained a taquito recipe. Obviously, I’m no stranger to giving unhealthy dishes a healthy twist. But, my association with taquitos as unhealthy is so ingrained that I never considered a healthy version.

I don’t know if I would consider these taquitos as “clean eating,” but they are certainly healthier and, let’s be honest, waaayyy more delicious than the dog food taquitos I used to eat at 7-11. These are what I would call grown-up taquitos.

Healthy Recipe Ecstasy? YES! These taquitos are not about satisfying a deep-fried craving. Sure, they still have crunch, but it’s a healthy baked crunch. These taquitos are about the flavorful creamy pinto bean and avocado mixture that fills up the tortillas and satisfies your craving for Mexican food without breaking the weight bank. Did I mention that these treats are gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian? I seriously almost forgot because I didn’t think about bread, cheese, or meat once while eating these for lunch today.