Easy Vegetarian Quesadillas and Guacamole

A shameful amount of time has passed since I last blogged. Things picked up at work, then it was the holidays, but now it's a new year and I'm back in the blogosphere. Feels good to be back!

For the month of January, I resolved to try being 100% vegetarian, just to see if I could do it. I've never been that much of a carnivore to begin with, but I overindulged during the holidays and was looking to cut back. And it seems to be working: within just a couple weeks I was able to lose all my holiday weight and then some. Plus, I just feel healthier in general. So will I remain meat-free after January 31? Most likely not. But I will probably still eat a mostly plant-based diet.

Which brings me to today's recipes: a very easy veggie quesadilla and some delicious guacamole. These are both higher in calories, but nutritious--high in protein, fiber and good fats. Plus, they are delicious and very filling!

Vegetarian Quesadilla
Makes 1 serving
652 calories

Ingredients:
1 bell pepper (I used half a green and half a red)
1/2 medium onion
1/2 cup beans (black or kidney)
1/2 cup part-skim shredded cheese
2 whole wheat high-fiber tortillas
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt
Cumin

Directions:
1. Chop the bell pepper and onion.

2. Using a large pan, saute them in olive oil on medium heat until tender. As they are cooking, season with a generous sprinkling of salt and a few pinches of cumin.

No meat? Chloe is not interested.

3. Once the veggies are done, use a spatula to push them over to the side of the pan to make room for the next step.

4. Turn the heat to low and lay down one tortilla. Sprinkle on half the cheese, then the beans, then, using your spatula, scooch the veggies on top of the tortilla. Top with the rest of the cheese and the other tortilla, and turn the heat up to medium-high.

I'm not sure it's in the dictionary, but "scooch" is a word in my book.

5. Once the bottom tortilla has crisped up (this will only take a minute or two), carefully flip the whole concoction. This is easiest if you use one hand to tilt the pan slightly towards the spatula as you flip. If a few veggies fall out in the process, just sneak them back in. I won't tell.

6. Let the other side get crispy, then slide out of the pan onto a plate and cut into fourths. Enjoy with some chips and guac!

Oh wait, I haven't told you how to make the guac yet...

Simple Guacamole
Serves: 1 hungry girl or a few people to share
Calories: 160

Ingredients:
1 small avocado
4 cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp chopped onion
2 tbsp chopped cilantro (cilantro is a cholesterol-buster!)
Juice of 1/4 small lime
Salt
Spike seasoning

Directions:
1. While you're waiting for your quesadilla veggies to cook, cut the avocado in half lengthwise. To get out the pit, I usually hold the half firmly in my hand and (carefully) swing my knife down into the pit. A slight twist will pop that sucker right out.
2. Score the avocado with the knife (as shown below) and scoop out the fruit into a small bowl. Mash it gently with a fork.

3. Finely dice the onion, tomato and cilantro, then add to the avocado.

4. Squeeze a quarter of a lime into the mixture, then season with a little salt and a few shakes of my mother's secret weapon, Spike. Gently fold everything together.
5. Test it out with a tortilla chip to see if the spices need correcting. Sometimes I like to add just a touch more citrus or salt. Then serve it up!

This chip was devoured a second after the picture was taken.

I used this guac as a complement to my quesadilla, but this recipe can easily be doubled, tripled etc. to make a great party dip to serve with chips.

So there it is! A nutritious, filling lunch--and vegetarian, too! This could also easily be vegan if a non-dairy cheese was used. Or it could be full-on carnivorous if you subbed chicken or beef for the beans. But that's up to you. Quesadillas are versatile that way.

What goes into your favorite quesadilla?