I’m staying positive and using some my extra time at home trying new recipes. I really liked how these easy quesadiilas were crispy in such a short time with just a little bit of oil. The ingredients are things I usually have on hand and they tasted great. I serve it with salad or baby carrots.
I love eating healthy food and making it easy for my husband Bob to get what he needs. But do I love cooking? Not so much. I want quick and easy recipes so I have time to be active, relax, and still go to bed early. That’s my new plan for being productive AND healthy.
I really like the recipes in Cheryl Strachan’s The 30 Minute Heart Healthy Cookbook. Being a cardiac dietitian she knows the science behind heart healthy nutrition and her recipes make it easy to get more of what you need and less of what you don’t.
Favorite Easy Quesadillas Recipe
Black Bean Quesadillas (serves 4)
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup lower sodium salsa
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped, divided
2 tablespoons canola or sunflower oil, divided
4 large whole-grain tortillas
1. Blend the beans and salsa together in a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, mash them in a large bowl with a fork or a potato masher.
2. Spread one quarter of the bean mixture (about 1/2 cup) on each tortilla. Sprinkle each with 3 tablespoons of cheese and one-fourth of a bell pepper (about 1/4 cup). Fold in half.
3. Preheat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet and spread it around. Place the first two quesadillas in the skillet. Cover and cook until the quesadillas are crispy on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until crispy on the other side, about 2 more minutes.
4. Use the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to cook the remaining two quesadillas, keeping the first two warm in the oven if needed.
Note: If you like heat, add chopped jalapeño pepper or a dash of hot sauce to the black bean mixture in step 1.
Per serving: Calories 438; Total Fat 21g: Saturated Fat 5g; Cholesterol 21 mg; Sodium 561 mg; Carbohydrate 46 g; Fiber 12 g; Added Sugars 0 g; Protein 17 g; Potassium 511 mg.
You can find more quick and healthy recipes here.
The 30 Minute Heart Healthy Cookbook, by Cheryl Strachan RD, published by Rockridge Press. Copyright © 2019 by Callisto Media. All rights reserved.
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