So for the last two weeks, my oven has been broken.
You can imagine the predicament on my hands – no oven means no baked goods (obviously), but also no roasted vegetables, no cauliflower pizza, etc.
I was quite distraught, but alas I still had to figure out what to make myself for dinner.
I checked the fridge and found a whole variety of vegetables, including some cherry tomatoes from my garden. Quesadillas seemed like the perfect solution.
Quesadillas are definitely my go-to food choice when I am at a bar . . . or really just any time I’m having a hard time deciding what I want to eat. I also am a huge fan of tortillas and melted cheese.
So first, I sautéed the veggies by themselves. I didn’t really measure, I just chopped some red onion, tomatoes, garlic, and mushrooms. I separately steamed some spinach and squeezed the excess water out when it cooled down enough to touch. I chopped the spinach and added it to the veggie mix. I also sprinkled some cumin and chili powder for extra kick and flavor.
After the filling was prepared, I heated a tortilla in a pan over low heat. I sprinkled some shredded mozzarella cheese over the whole tortilla and waited for it to took like it was starting to melt a bit before adding the veggie filling.
Having the cheese melt all over the tortilla helps the whole thing stick together when you fold it over.
I waited for some golden brown color to appear on the outside of the tortilla, then transferred it to my plate.
I found some perfectly ripe avocados in the fridge, so I sliced some up and layered it on top of my quesadilla.
I just love the pop of bright green that the avocados bring to the dish. Plus with their creamy texture, they are a great substitute for something heavier like sour cream.
I decided to cut right into the center to see how the quesadillas turned out.
The cumin, chili powder, and garlic definitely brought a great amount of flavor to the veggies. With the avocado and cheese, I didn’t really notice that these quesadillas were meatless, as they were pretty filling as they were.
Anyway, while I love a traditional melted cheese and chicken quesadilla (or even better, BBQ chicken), sometimes it’s great to just see what you’ve got and throw it all together. And you can keep it pretty healthy by incorporating lots of veggies, minimizing your cheese, and using low-carb whole wheat tortillas. Not so bad for a night with no oven (although I am still desperately awaiting the moment when my oven will be fixed).