Stuffed Quesadillas



1 cup diced bell pepper (fresh or frozen)
¼ cup sweet onion, diced
1 small can diced green chilies (or fresh)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup corn
Fresh cilantro
Salsa
Flour tortillas
grated cheddar cheese
Sour cream


In a medium skillet, caramelize onion and bell peppers in 1 tsp olive oil over medium-low heat. Stir in green chilies, black beans and corn. Then add fresh cilantro and a little salsa. If you would like to thicken the mixture, add a slurry (small mixture of cold water and thickener) of arrowroot powder, a great alternative to corn starch.

For each quesadilla, scoop enough filling to cover bottom tortilla, leaving a 1" border around the edge. Sprinkle with cheese and top with second tortilla.

Brown on both sides in a skillet or bake at 450 about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Slice into wedges and serve with salsa, sour cream, guacamole, etc.

*****
Thanks to Emily at My Muffin Thursdays for this great dinner suggestion. I love Mexican food and crave a wide variety of meals so I’m always looking for new ways to serve my favorite things- black beans, salsa, guacamole, cheese. These were really easy to make and tasted delicious dipped in salsa.

5 comments:

Kim said...

I love, love, love quesadillas. Unfortunately, due to my daughter's allergies and breastfeeding I'm on a no egg, dairy or soy diet... bummer! Your's look SOOOOOO yummy - gotta look away.

Love your blog - thanks for the great ideas and recipes.

Niki said...

If you are avoiding annatto, what kind of cheese do you use? All the cheddar cheese I look at has annatto. Thanks, I love your site!

Emily said...

There are some ingredients I avoid no matter what (yeast extract, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, etc.) but then there are other ingredients that I have found a few exceptions to the rule. Most people with a strong sensitivity to msg do fine with Tillamook Colby jack cheese and mozzarella cheese. Tillamook does have annatto (for color) added as the last ingredient but I have never had a reaction to it and know of several others that do fine with it as well.

Another exception to the rule is Best Foods Mayonnaise. It has “spices” listed in the ingredient list which I avoid like the plague but there are several people sensitive to msg that have talked to Best Foods and have been assured that no free form of glutamate is hidden under spices. Because of this assurance and so many other peoples success with it, I use this mayonnaise.

If you are unable to eat annatto, you can try a specialty cheese shop. They have several options that do not contain any coloring, however you may need to spend $12-18 a LB though (most locations will let you sample as many cheeses as you want before making your purchase so you can find a cheese that you enjoy). Hope this helps.

Niki said...

I actually do not have any sensitivity to MSG at least that I can pinpoint nor do any members of my family! I just choose to avoid the additive for all the possible negative effects. Because I don't have a reaction, it is hard for me to identify the "safe" brands. I spend much time on the phone! I love hearing your advice and your recipes are fabulous! Thank you:)

Emily said...

I admire your dedication. My husband and I have been so grateful for my reaction (though it took time to develop the appreciation) because I don’t think we’d have the dedication to eat this way if we weren’t forced into it. We feel so good and are so grateful for our diets. Good luck with your diet and let me know if you have any questions.

Have you looked at the “Taste of Blue Sky” blog? She has taken a few pictures of her pantry and has listed brands that she purchases. Her diet isn’t as strict as mine but it’s pretty close. I’ve had several people mention how helpful her “pantry section” is.

As you come across other meal ideas, I’d love to hear of them. Happy cooking.