Biking To Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

The Balloon Fiesta is a must-see event!

   The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta 2018 is happening very soon! I just can't wait to see all those hot air balloons in the sky. The 47th annual event will feature more than 500 hot air balloons and lots of people. The Balloon Fiesta can have crowds of 80,000 people so that means lots of cars and traffic.  There are ways to avoid the traffic and the long lines to park and I am going to share my favorite way to get to the Balloon Fiesta. My favorite way to get to Balloon Fiesta is by bike and it is a 15-30 minute trip. If you choose to bike you not only get some great exercise but you also save $20 on parking and the stress of waiting forever in the long lines of traffic. There is even free valet parking for your bike which is staffed by local bicycle group volunteers. The free valet parking is available to all people attending the Balloon Fiesta event even if you are not a local. I live in Albuquerque but I have many friends who live in Rio Rancho and they even bike to the event. 

Biking to the Balloon Fiesta is a great way to avoid congested traffic and parking conditions near Balloon Fiesta Park. My son and I biked to the event a couple of years ago. I discovered a bike trail that runs along the AMAFCA North Diversion Channel and crosses underneath Paseo del Norte and Alameda Blvd. This trail continues north where it crosses from the west side to the east side ending just north of the Balloon Museum. There you will find the Bike Valet staffed by local bicycle group volunteers. There are many bike trails in Albuquerque that lead to this bike trail but I found an easier way to get to this trail and it involves way less bicycling time too. You simply put your bike in or on your car and park at the Los Ranchos/Journal Rail Runner station. The bike trail begins at that station. I recommend using this method on the weekends and as it might be hard to find a parking spot during the week with people taking the train to work. 

      I biked this trail last weekend and it only took me 15 minutes to get to the Balloon Fiesta Park. The best part about this trail is you don't even have to ride with traffic as it is bike trails all the way. I am going to share some tips on how to bike safely to the park. Since the balloons go up way early in the morning you will be biking in the dark so other than making sure your tires have air, make sure you have lights on your bike. Please remember when you ride to the morning sessions you will be arriving in the dark and when you leave the evening sessions you will be leaving in the dark. I recommend both a back tail light and front headlight as the trail will be dark. I also recommend an LED Light Reflective Safety Vest for great eye-catching visibility in the dark. I discovered a vest that works great for biking and running. This vest is lightweight and comfortable. I really like the way the LED lights light up my body so I can be seen by other bikers. My younger boys want to borrow my safety vest for their Halloween costume this year. It is adjustable so it will fit them and it will make trick or treating safer too. 

                      Check out these

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta Insider Tips

Dress Warm in Layers  

It can be quite chilly in the early morning so make sure you are dressed warm and don't forget the gloves. As Albuquerque warms up once the sun comes out you can then shed some of the layers of clothes for your bike ride back to your car. 

Wear a bike helmet

 Always be safe when bike riding and protect your head with a bike helmet.

Bring Water  

Even though it is cold out you will need water as you are exercising.

Bring a Backpack 

 A backpack is great to carry your water and snacks in. Make sure there is room to put any clothes that you take off like a sweatshirt as it warms up.

Take Along Snacks  

You will need some snacks to give you the energy to bike back to your car, of course, you can always buy some food at the Fiesta.

Money  

You will need money to get into the Fiesta and to buy great food like breakfast burritos and New Mexico Pinon coffee.

Bike Baskets  

These are nice to have but not necessary. I do a lot of bike riding and use my baskets for trips to the grocery store. If you have a basket or pouch, bring it to carry back any souvenirs. The backpack is also good for this.

CellPhone  

I know most people don't leave the house without this. The phone is not only great for calls but also for all the pictures you will be taking. So bring a portable charger too. A camera also works great too. Who remembers the day when the Balloon Fiesta sold disposable cameras and film?

     So if you are local to the area considered biking this year to Balloon Fiesta and avoid all the traffic. You will get some great exercise and save money too. After attending the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta you might just want to move here as not only do we have hot air balloons year-round, we also have great food and pretty good weather most of the time. 

Will you be attending the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta?

Photo from the Balloon Fiesta nighttime glow. 

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta Insider Tips

Attending the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta? Check out these tips!

   I have attended the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta many times. It is one of the perks of living in New Mexico. My family has lived here for 20 years and we still love seeing all the hot air balloons float in the sky. We also love the wonderful weather here. The hot air balloons can be in the sky year-round but only once a year over 500 balloons grace the sky for nine days. Once you attend the Balloon Fiesta, you will want to live here. There are plenty of homes for sale in Albuquerque. This yearly event still gets my family excited and we try to attend at least one event during this time. Since this event has over one million people attending, it can be crowded and traffic can be bad but trust me this event is worth it all to be able to see the hot air balloons close up and in the sky. I am going to share some tips with you that will help you enjoy this event. The event website also has a lot of great information. http://www.balloonfiesta.com/

Places to stay
Hotels tend to fill up quickly for this event so I recommend making reservations way in advance. Other places to stay are campgrounds, bed & breakfast, and RV parks to name a few. If you have an RV, I highly recommend staying in the RV park near the Balloon Fiesta Park as then you can walk or bike to the event and avoid traffic. Just like hotels the RV park fills up quickly. For more information visit this link. http://www.balloonfiesta.com/guest-guide/rv-information

Best days to attend
 There are better days/times to attend the Balloon Fiesta if you want to see more hot air balloons and special shape balloons. To get the full experience of this wonderful event, I recommend attending at least one morning event and one evening event. The morning events have all the balloons ascending into the sky while the evening events have balloon glows. A balloon glow is a very unique experience in which the hot air balloons stay on the ground but are filled with light from the glow of the propane. The best days to attend are the weekends and Thursday and Friday. While there are events on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, these days will have fewer balloons going up. If you don’t like crowds but want to see balloons these are the better days to attend. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday only have morning events.

Getting to the Balloon Fiesta Park
There are many ways to get to the Balloon Fiesta event. If you don’t want to deal with traffic, the Park and Ride option is a good one and can save you money. but it can be pricey for families with kids older than 6 years. There are many locations around Albuquerque to park and board a bus that will take you to the event. You may not have to deal with traffic but you will deal with long lines after the event to board the bus back to your car. If you decide to drive there are many ways to get to the event, depend on your location. You can even bike to the event and avoid the 15.00 parking fee. This link has a lot of info about biking to the balloon fiesta. Click Here

Best time to leave for the event
Leaving early for the Balloon Fiesta is always best. You will not avoid traffic but it will mean less time in the traffic. I recommend getting to the Balloon Fiesta park early and spend the time eating or exploring the many booths rather than spending that time in traffic. For me, that may mean getting up super early in the morning but I would rather spend my time walking around the event visiting booths/ eating than in traffic. For the morning events, I leave my house at 4-4:30 Am and 3- 3:30 pm for the evening events. By leaving this early, I usually get a better parking spot and only have to spend 30 minutes in bumper to bumper traffic vs 1- 1 ½ hours.  Getting there early also allows you more time to see the pilots set up their balloons.

What to bring
 So what does one need to bring to the Balloon Fiesta? Bring a device to take pictures as you will want to take lots of them. Other items that I like to bring are a backpack, money, snacks, water, sunglasses, sunscreen, pocket pack of tissues, hand sanitizer or hand wipes, and coffee. The hand wipes are great for after using the porta potty and tissues are great for that nose that tends to drip in the cold weather. Leave the camping chairs at home as this is an event that is more fun walking around to see all the balloons. A stroller or a wagon is a must for those with young kids as this place is crowded. If you are able to carry the kids in a backpack carrier, that is even better so you don’t have to try and push a stroller through crowds. When my kids were young, I did use a stroller as I did not want them to get lost in the crowds and I loved that I could carry all my things in the basket.

How to dress
Dress in layers as the morning will be chilly but once that sun comes out it will be so much warmer. I like to wear pants, a t-shirt, sweatshirt, and a fleece jacket along with a hat and gloves. I often find that by 8 am, I have taken off the coat and sweatshirt as it gets warm here once the sun comes out. Also, wear comfortable shoes as you will be doing lots of walking. This is an event in which you can get up close to the balloons and you will want to walk around to see all of the balloons.



Saving money
Yes, there are always ways to save money at the Balloon Fiesta. The best way to save money is by bringing your own food and drink. While you can't bring in any glass containers or large coolers, you can bring in food and drinks. I like to make my coffee and a breakfast burrito at home and then eat them while watching the balloons. You can also get food cheaper outside of the park at the many restaurants in Albuquerque. There is just something about breakfast burritos and coffee that make the balloon fiesta special. There are many places inside the Balloon Fiesta that sell breakfast burritos and you will be craving one so if you want to save money bring one with you. Bring a bottle of water too as there are no water fountains in the park. You will get thirsty as this is the desert, so save money and bring your water so you don’t have to buy a drink in the park. Also, bring some snacks as all that walking will make you hungry.

Best places to get a bite
If you want to try some of the delicious food that the event has to offer, expect long lines to buy food. The event has plenty of variety of food from breakfast burritos, pizza, burgers, to doughnuts and ice cream. You can even get fried alligator as my oldest son enjoyed. The breakfast burritos and Pinon coffee are must-have items. While the Pinon coffee is only sold at a couple of booths, there are many booths that sell the breakfast burritos and I don’t have a favorite. If you want less of a wait for food then walk north towards the end of the food booths as lines tend to be shorter there.

What to see beyond balloons
The Balloon Fiesta is more than hot air balloons. The event has lots of booths to pick up information, samples, and play games. My boys love the Cannon booth as they get their picture taken in a hot air balloon. They also love the Bimbo booth as they get to spin a wheel to win a snack item. There is also plenty of booths that sell food and other merchandise like balloon fiesta souvenirs, hats, t-shirts, and even alpaca blankets. If you walk north to the end of the vendor row, you will find a arts and craft tent, a kids discovery tent, and a chainsaw wood carving event. The kid’s discovery tent is also a great place for grownups to learn and have fun. In this tent, you can learn all about how a hot air balloon is made. You can also learn about how the pilots fly the balloons and you can try a hot air balloon simulator. This tent also teaches kids about rockets and spaceships thanks to volunteers from NASA.

If you want more information the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta then visit their official website or some of the other posts that I have written over the years. Feel free to ask me questions in the comment section and I will try my best to answer your question.

http://www.balloonfiesta.com

http://www.momknowsbest.net/2016/09/biking-to-albuquerque-balloon-fiesta.html

http://www.momknowsbest.net/2016/10/the-albuquerque-balloon-fiesta-is-must.html

http://www.momknowsbest.net/2016/08/albuquerque-balloon-fiesta-is-happening.html

http://www.momknowsbest.net/2016/10/the-near-space-challenge-at-albuquerque.html

http://www.momknowsbest.net/2015/09/balloon-fiesta-starts-this-saturday.html

http://www.momknowsbest.net/2015/10/balloon-glow-at-albuquerque-balloon.html

http://www.momknowsbest.net/2015/10/having-fun-at-albuquerque-international.html

http://www.momknowsbest.net/2015/10/another-day-at-albuquerque-balloon.html

http://www.momknowsbest.net/2013/10/albuquerque-balloon-fiesta.html

A Day In The Life Of A Blogger

I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com), May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my honest opinion on my blog. The opinions posted are my own.

  When I tell people that I work from home, they always ask what I do. I try to creatively explain my job title as when I tell people that I am a blogger, they think that is not a real job. When I tell them that I make money writing and promoting for companies, I then hear "oh, I can do this!" People just assume that my work is easy and that they can make big bucks working for less than an hour a day. That is so not true for us bloggers. When I tell them hour many hours I work a day and that for four years I work for almost nothing, people kind of understand that my job is real but still don't quite understand what I do or why. So today I am going to give you a glimpse into what my workday looks like.

 I wake up in the morning and grab some breakfast, usually a smoothie and a handful of supplements. My teen calls me a junkie as I take a lot of supplements. Now all my supplements are all-natural and have benefits that help with my joints/running, heart, digestion, and well-being. Since I love blogging about healthy living, I get to learn about supplements that help my health. I think probiotics was the very first one that I discovered and after using them, it is one that I continue to use as a healthy gut equals a healthy body. My teen also says I am made of steel as I never seem to get sick. I think my quirk of not sharing my drinks and food helps along with my probiotics. The other day my adult son took a drink from my water bottle and I chose to be thirsty rather than using it again until I washed it. I hate being sick so I don't take any chances and that is why I am currently using a Live bacteria probiotic/not freeze-dried from Dr. Ohhira's Probiotic. I just love how easy it is to swallow them. Did you know that it is best to take your probiotic on an empty stomach? My younger boys also take probiotics and so far they have not been sick this year. See more about this Live Probiotic and other goodies that I received from Essential Formulas further down in this post.

 After my breakfast, I check my email while the younger boys get ready for school. My email is how I communicate with brands that want to work with me. Checking my email also means applying for campaigns that can lead to work.  That can take an hour. The boys leave for school and then it is time to promote things that I have written on my website as well as touts that companies may need. That usually takes an hour or so.

  I then have a coffee break/ grab my coffee/ and get back to my office/ chair in the living room. I then see what I need to write about from my list or I look on my dining room table to see what products I need to promote. My neighbors think that I love shopping as UPS/Fed-Ex visit me a lot. My writing takes 1-2 hours depending on what the client wants. Then it is picture time.

 Some days I devote several hours to pictures as I will take pictures for several posts and other days I concentrate on food pictures. Food pictures also involve time making the recipe. When I have products that require my kids to be in the picture, that means more time as they like to goof off. I usually take my pictures in the front room where the sun is. I have a special table and screen that I use along with many backgrounds. I also have plenty of props. I would like to invest in lights so I can take pictures at night.

  Blogging also means conference calls, Twitter parties, and webinars. Then there are the pictures that need to be taken at stores and attending events/places to promote. My boys love when I promote local events like the Balloon Fiesta and my husband likes when I work for restaurants. 

  I often work about 5-7 hours a day. I love blogging as I can work when the kids are in school and I can re-arrange my schedule if needed to attend school functions. Sure I could work outside the home and make more money but my job is fun and where else can you write in your jammies and do laundry at the same time. Blogging also means that I can try new products and talk about my experience. I may get some great products but a lot of work goes into letting others know about them. 

  The best part of my job is trying new products. My recent healthy living products that I enjoyed using were products from Dr. Ohhira's. These products had ingredients in them that I was already including in my daily handful of supplements but they also had some unique ingredients that I wanted to try. I had never had a probiotic that was live nor have I used a beauty bar with probiotics in it. So I wanted to try these. When I received these products, I was happy to see that the Propolis Plus contained Astaxanthin as that is a supplement that I learned about at my last conference and I am using it to help me run better. I also love that they gave me a Vegan alternative to fish oils. I really love that there are whole foods like mushrooms and seaweed in the Probiotics. A couple of years ago when everyone in the house, except me, had the flu, I made a soup with mushroom and seaweed. I ate this soup as I had a tickle in my throat and I did not get sick. 

  I loved that these formulas came in easy to swallow vegetarian liquid caps. I was reading the side of the green Probiotic box and I love that it says temporary reactions such as minor bloating or a mild laxative or constipating effect are signs the beneficial bacteria are remodeling, detoxifying, and improving the gut environment. That is good info to know as I remember when my husband first started taking probiotics and he complained about having loose bowels. He wanted to stop taking the probiotics because of this but I told him to give it a couple more days. Thankfully he did and the stomach issues did stop. Dr. Ohhira's Probiotics did not give me any stomach issues. I took one every morning before breakfast. I liked knowing that this product with live cultures was keeping my gut healthy and happy.

The beauty bar was a treat to use in my new shower and it kept my skin feeling soft. The dry winter air tends to make my skin dry and itchy after bathing. I loved that it was unscented, as I hate those perfumy soaps.

So I hope you enjoyed seeing what my day looks like. To learn more about these products that I received, visit the below links.

My Favorite Photo From The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta With Canvas On Sale

I love how this picture looks!

   Last year was my second year to attend the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta as a media person and it was quite awesome. I just love all the hot air balloons and taking photos of them. I think I took at least 100 photos. This event is perhaps the most photographed event that I know of. It is just an amazing site to see over 500 hot air balloons floating in the sky so I completely understand why people take so many photos. I think my favorite balloons at this event are the special shapes. This one of a butterfly was my number one favorite. So when I had an opportunity to make a photo into a wall print, I selected this one. Canvas On Sale made it so easy to make an aluminum print out of my favorite balloon photo. All I had to do was download it on their website and select the size that I wanted. I selected the 16 X 12 size as I knew this size would be perfect for my new bathroom. This picture is going to hang over my toilet. I just wished Canvas On Sale included a hanging clip on this print so I could hang it up. Once I get to the store I will buy one to mount on the back and then my husband can hang it up.

    The hardest part of ordering this aluminum print was waiting for it. I ordered it a couple days after Christmas so it took three weeks to arrive. Once it arrived, though, I was very happy as the quality was awesome. I had many options to choose from for my photo but I choose the aluminum as it had UV Protection on it as well as Splash & Light-resistant so I though it would hold up well in my bathroom. I just love the bright glossy colors on it. This print will add the perfect touch to my new bathroom. That space above the toilet is where it will hang. 

I can't wait for Balloon Fiesta 2017 in October so I can take more pictures of these awesome hot air balloons. Here are some more photos that I took last year.

Do you have a favorite photo that would make into a print?

"These opinions are my own and I received a gift certificate from Canvas on Sale to facilitate this post."

The Near Space Challenge At Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta Teaches Kids S.T.E.M.

I love that a fun activity at the Balloon Fiesta is teaching kids S.T.E.M.

  Today was a special day at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. I had the opportunity to watch my son and classmates participate in The Near Space Challenge. The 2016 Near Space Challenge may be a new event to the Balloon Fiesta but to my son, it is one he has been doing for many years with his JROTC program at West Mesa high school with his instructors Major Mark Hendricks and Senior Chief Kirk Nicholson. During this event, the students will compete in three competitions: The Scientific Engineering Challenge, The High Altitude Challenge, and the Landing Accuracy Challenge. These events teach the students many different aspects of S.T.E.M. with a whole lot of fun. The students were able to compete for awards as well as high altitude and landing accuracy records. This event took place over the course of three days and I was able to view The High Altitude Challenge today.

   The High Altitude Challenge is an event in which the student's launch tracking beacons attached to balloons filled with helium. The learning started with building the mini sat, my son built this from scratch. This item houses the tracking beacon which allows the students to track the balloons. The students then fill up this big balloon with the right amount of helium and then attach it to the mini sat and a parachute. A countdown starts and the balloon is released into the air. It is amazing how fast they go into the sky. The high altitude balloons typically travel 90,000 feet into the sky and depending on the wind they can travel anywhere from 1 mile to 226 miles. The tracking device helps Major Hendricks and Senior Chief Nicholson locate the payloads later.  My son has gone on many trips with Major and Senior Chief, which may involve searching fields far away, to find the balloons.

  The above photo shows my son working on his mini sat before the balloon release. My son takes pride in his work and wants every element of the high altitude balloon launch to work so his team's balloons would fly well. This launch takes the work of many students as you can see that it takes many people to just hold the balloon in place as it launches.

During this event, many students were in the makeshift mission control room viewing the balloons being tracked live on three monitors. These monitors are able to track the positions of the balloons while they are in the sky and after they land. This event is one of many ways my son is learning S.T.E.M. in is JROTC class and has helped my son choose his career path. 

Watch the video of the students launching one of the balloons, it is very cool!

The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta Is A Must See Event

The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is an event with more than 550 hot air balloons.

      Most people can not understand the how awesome the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is until they experience it. It is truly hard to understand how huge this event is until you see over 550 hot air balloons launch into the sky in less than 2 hours. When people see that they can stand right next to the hot air balloons and interact with the pilots, they are glad they came to this event. Then they want to come back the next day to see more amazing hot air balloons lift up into the sky. Some people may even dream of a ride in a balloon and they can make that dream a reality as the opportunities to ride in a hot air balloon are available during the Balloon Fiesta. The Balloon Fiesta is eight days of hot air balloons and more. The  45th, "Desert Kaleidoscope" Balloon Fiesta took place this year on October 1-9, 2016 and I was so glad I was able to attend. I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico so I have attended many Balloon Fiestas over the years and each one is more exciting than the last.

I am going to share with you some of the amazing photos I took at two events that I went to. I attended the Mass Ascension on October 1st and the Balloon Glow on October 2nd. The Mass Ascension was a fun morning of watching 550 hot air balloons uplift into the sky. Most of the balloons were standard tear drop shaped but there was also plenty of special shaped balloons. My favorite was one that was shaped like a butterfly. Each year I have new favorites as I always discover new balloons that I had not seen the previous year. 

The Creamland Cow is always a favorite too. I think this is the largest balloon in the event. The crowd always cheers when this cow lifts up into the sky.

The weather was perfect for balloons. It was bright and sunny with no wind. Hot air balloons can't go up if there is a lot of wind. I was prepared for a day of sunshine and balloon watching.

   My new sunglasses from Glassesusa arrived the day before the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. I love the floral print on them. They were a great price with the 60% off  Columbus  Day sale that is going on right now. It was hard to choose my sunglasses as they have so many different styles. They also sell prescription glasses and have this cool feature that allows you to try the glasses on. You just upload a picture of yourself and then choose the glasses you like. You can see yourself wearing the glasses.

Here are some more photos from the mass ascension. My boy's favorite balloon was this green gator balloon. The special shapes are always so fun to look at.

The other event we went to was the Balloon Glow. This is a night event. The balloons inflate but they stay on the ground and make the balloons glow with the propane flame. The balloons look so cool glowing in the dark. This is the perfect time to collect trading cards from the owners of the balloons as you can get incredibly close to the balloons.

  My husband's favorite balloon at the glow was a gas flame balloon that represented the company that supplies propane to the pilots. I enjoyed the Humpty Dumpty balloon. It was a windy night so not that many balloons participated in the glow but there was still at least 100 balloons glowing in the night.

It may be too late to attend the 2016 Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta but it will be back next October. So now is the time to plan for a trip to New Mexico so you can participate in the 2017 Balloon Fiesta. Get all the details at this link.

http://www.balloonfiesta.com/

Take a look at this cool way to transport a balloon!

"These opinions are my own and I received the glasses from Glassesusa and a media pass to attend the Balloon Fiesta to facilitate this post."

Southwest Chicken Breakfast Burrito

The 2016 Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is almost here!

  The Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque is a special event that happens every October. It is a family tradition to see the hot air balloons every year. This is an event that features over 500 hot air balloons. My family gets excited to see all these balloons in the sky. Now to be able to see all these balloons go up in the air, we have to get up way early in the morning. So early that the sun has not come up. I am not a morning person but the Balloon Fiesta is so worth getting up early. Another tradition that my family has with the Balloon Fiesta is eating a breakfast burrito along with a hot cup of coffee. Breakfast burritos are a staple food here in Albuquerque and there are plenty of booths at the Fiesta that sell this spicy delicious burrito. Now this is not your typical burrito, this is a burrito that is loaded with eggs, potatoes, cheese, bacon, and green chile. This is no wimpy burrito either as it not only big in size but also spicy with the heat of green chile. New Mexico is famous for their green chile as it is grown here in Hatch, New Mexico. People here love green chile so much that they buy several bags of green chile every year. Fresh Hatch green chile is only available in August and September. All the grocery stores sell big bags of green chile. The stores even roast the green chile too. Find out more about green chile HERE.

  The lines at the breakfast burrito booths are always super long so I usually make our burritos at home as i can make my burritos healthier and I don't like standing in the long lines. I make them the night before and warm them up in the morning so we can enjoy them while we watch the balloons go up at the Fiesta. I also like making them at home so I can add the ingredients that I enjoy. I can also customize them to everyone's preference. The younger boys have not acquired their taste buds for spicy foods so I make their burritos without the green chile. I also try to make my burritos healthier so I use brown rice and chicken instead of the greasy potatoes and bacon. Now I don't use just any old chicken I use this flavorful chicken sausage from al fresco. This chicken sausage is pre-cooked so that saves me time in the kitchen and it comes in many wonderful flavors. My husband's favorite flavor is Roasted Pepper and Asiago.I just chop the al fresco sausage into pieces and place them in my burritos. I also use  Minute Whole Grain Brown Rice as it cooks up quickly. My burritos are healthier with these ingredients and still flavorful and spicy.

                                        Southwest Chicken Breakfast Burrito

                                   INGREDIENTS
                                        makes 4-6 burritos
                              2 cups uncooked Minute Whole Grain Brown Rice
                              1 3/4  cups water
                              6 eggs beaten
                              1 tablespoon vegetable oil
                              1 package al fresco chicken sausage, chopped into small pieces
                              1/2 cup chopped green chile
                              1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
                              4-6  burrito size flour tortillas

Place the Minute Whole Grain Brown Rice and water in a pan and cook following directions on the package. While the rice is cooking heat up a large frying pan on medium-high. Add the oil and eggs and scramble to desired doneness. Set the cooked eggs aside until the rice is done. Lay a tortilla on a plate and top with desired amounts of rice, scrambled eggs, green chile, chicken, and cheese. Make sure to place the ingredients evenly down the center of the tortilla so there is plenty of room to roll the tortilla. Fold in opposite sides of each tortilla, then roll up burrito-style. You can enjoy this breakfast burrito right away, by heating up each one for 30 seconds in the microwave, or wrap them in foil to heat up later. I like to wrap my breakfast burritos in plastic wrap so I can heat them in the microwave in the morning for about 1 minute. I then wrap the burritos in foil so they stay warm to enjoy at the Balloon Fiesta. If there are any extra ingredients left over, just place them in the fridge so you can use them another day to make a burrito.

                     Do you have a favorite chicken and rice dish?

 Al fresco and Minute Rice invite you to vote for your favorite al fresco and Minute® Rice recipe for a chance to win $1,000! This sweepstake will end 11:59 PM Eastern Time (“ET”) Monday, September 26, 2016 so hurry up and go vote on your favorite dish.
                                             alfrescoallnatural.com/minute

"These opinions are my own and I received coupons for Al fresco and Minute Rice to facilitate this post."