One of my favorite comfort foods is quesadillas. They are so versatile. I have been known to throw just about every leftover in the refrigerator into a quesadilla. Then I add cheese, and I have myself a scrumptious meal. However, if you don’t eat dairy, there are other great nut cheeses on the market or just leave it off entirely.
I was recently perusing a website called The Happy Pear. It is an excellent website with a lot of healthy recipes. It is here that I found my inspiration for my Black Bean Quesadillas.
You can use any tortillas that you prefer. Corn, flour, whole wheat, cassava, they all work great.
Yield 4 - 6 halves
Yield 4 - 6 halves
2 Tbsp avocado oil + ¼ cup more for frying
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 red chili, seeded and finely chopped
¼ cup chives or scallions, finely chopped
1 - 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp cumin
¼ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp coriander
1 Tbsp tamari, or soy sauce
1 lime, juiced
⅓ cup cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper
4 - 6 tortillas
1 cup Monterey jack cheese, grated
1 avocado, sliced
Sour cream
Hot sauce
Heat the 2 Tbsp oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Add the onion, chili, and chives. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent. Next, turn the heat down to medium-low and add the beans, cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon, coriander, tamari, lime juice, and ¼ cup of the cilantro. Continue to simmer for three minutes and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Heat a nonstick skillet with ¼ cup oil on medium.
Place the filling on one side of the tortilla, top it with cheese, and fold it in half. Place the quesadilla in the pan and cook on one side until it is golden brown. Carefully turn the quesadilla over and cook until the cheese is melted and the second side is golden brown. Remove it from the pan and slice it in half. Continue this process with all of the tortillas, filling, and cheese.
Garnish the quesadillas with the remaining cilantro and serve with avocado, sour cream, and hot sauce.
Just Salt It, and enjoy!
