The BEST Quesadilla Ever

I decided to mix quite a few yummy flavors in between a couple of tortillas and came up with an excellent quesadilla. The sweetness of the potato and the melted cheese with chicken were very tasty. The ingredients may seem like an odd combination but trust me...they work! You could omit any of the items or add anything to this and I'm sure it would be just as good. I cooked this on my Cuisinart Griddler but just on the stove in some olive oil would work. I also used some whole wheat wraps from Trader Joes for my tortilla but whatever you have or pick up will do.

The Best Quesadilla Ever (Sweet Potato, Chicken Quesadilla)

4 large size tortillas

3 boneless/ skinless chicken thighs

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 can black beans, drained

1/4 onion, diced

2 cups fresh spinach

1 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup Pepita's (pumpkin seeds)

2 garlic cloves

1/4 cup olive oil

1 t cinnamon

2 t cumin

2 t chili powder

1 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350. Season chicken thighs with 1 t chili powder and 1 t cumin. Place in an oven safe dish and cook for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Cool and chop into 1/2 inch think cubes. Set aside.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add sweet potato and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Strain potatoes and mash with a whisk until smooth. Add 1 t cinnamon, 1 t chili powder and 1 t cumin to mashed potatoes, set aside.

Drain beans and place in a bowl. Add chopped onion and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Add chopped cilantro, Pepita's, garlic and olive oil into food processor and grind until a pesto is formed. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

In a small skilled heat 1 T olive oil over medium heat. Add spinach and saute until wilted. Set aside.

To assemble:

Lay 1 tortilla flat on clean work surface. Spread 1/2 of sweet potatoes in an even layer on tortilla. Top with 1/2 of the wilted spinach. Top spinach with 1/2 of the bean mixture. Top the bean mixture with 1/2 of the diced chicken. Top the chicken with 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese. On the 2nd tortilla and spread 1/2 of the pesto mixture on 1 side of the tortilla. Place the tortilla pesto side down on top of the other tortilla.

Repeat with the other 2 tortillas.

Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat or heat grill over medium heat. Brush olive oil on the outside both sides of the tortillas if using grill.

Place Quesadillas in oil or on grill, flip after about 5 minutes or when browned if in pan. Remove when heated through and crispy on both sides.

Cut into 6 triangles and serve with sour cream.

Garlicky Bean and Chicken Enchiladas

I found the recipe for the Garlicky Bean Enchiladas in the March '08 issue of Rachel Ray. I decided to add shredded chicken to them and they were excellent. My husband said "we could have gone to a mexican restaurant and our meal wouldn't have been nearly as good"! I have to agree, they tasted like they came from a gourmet mexican restaurant. I put my chicken in the Crock Pot with 1 packet of taco seasoning and about 1/2 cup of chicken broth and let it cook about 4 hours until it shredded on its own. I made homemade spanish rice to go along with this and used brown rice to make it a bit healthier. Boxed spanish rice would also work.

Garlicky Bean & Chicken Enchiladas

2 chicken breasts, shredded

1/2 cup plus 2 T olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans cannelloni beans, drained

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

12 6 in. round corn tortillas

2 cups store bought salsa verde

1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 T oil over medium heat. Ad the garlic and cook until just golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in the beans and cook for 1 minute. Season w/ salt and pepper and mash with the back of a fork while continuing to cook for about 7 minutes. Take off heat and add the cilantro. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with paper towels. In a small skillet heat 2 T of oil. Fry tortillas 1 at a time for about 5 seconds per side until starting to bubble. Add more oil as needed. Transfer fried tortillas to paper towels to drain (I tried to skip this step but the tortillas crumble if they are not fried first). Place about 1/4 cup of the beans and 1/4 cup of the chicken on 1 tortilla and roll to close. Transfer to a prepared 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Repeat with the remaining beans, chicken and tortillas. Pour the salsa over the filled tortillas Sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake until the cheese is melted and the salsa is bubbling, about 20 minutes.

Serve with sour cream.

Spanish Brown Rice

1 T olive oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups brown rice

1 package taco seasoning

1 can diced tomatoes w/ liquid

2 cups chicken broth

In a medium pot heat oil on medium heat. Add garlic and onion and saute until they become opaque. Add rice and saute for 2 minutes. Add taco seasoning and mix. Add tomatoes w/ liquid and the chicken broth. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until rice is tender, approximately 25 minutes.

Enjoy!

Ole, Ole!!!

I think that my favorite type of food is Mexican. With that said I try to incorporate it into as many meals as I can. My husband is getting really sick of turkey tacos so with all of my new found free time (recently unemployed) I have begun to get creative. Below are 2 of my recent fiesta creations I came up with in my constant quest to make good Mexican food that is also healthy. While they are far from gourmet they were both very tasty and won the acceptance, even praise of the mister. Appetit Bueno!


SW Turkey Burgers w/ Avocado Cream

1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 cup salsa
2 T taco seasoning
4 slices pepper jack cheese

2 mashed avocados
3 T low fat mayo
3 T low fat sour cream
1 t garlic salt

4 whole wheat hamburger buns

Mix Turkey, salsa and taco seasoning in bowl. Form into 4 equal 1/2 inch thick burgers. Burgers will puff up while cooking so make them thinner then usual. Cook on grill or grill pan until completely heated through. Top with cheese and allow to melt.

Mix avocados, mayo, sour cream and garlic salt. Top burgers with avocado mixture.

I served these with oven sweet potato fries and it was excellent. It would also be great with some simple tortilla chips.

Mexican Cobb Salad (makes 2 servings)

Romaine lettuce

2 chicken breasts

1 packet taco seasoning

3 avocados, 2 smashed/ 1 sliced

2 hard boiled eggs, sliced

1 cup black beans

1 chopped medium tomato

2 T chopped cilantro

1/2 cup frozen corn

1 T apple cider vinegar

1 T olive oil

1/2 cup sour cream
feta or goat cheese

Coat chicken breasts in taco seasoning and cook through on grill or in pan. Slice and set aside.

Mix together the beans, tomato, cilantro, corn, vinegar and oil to make a salsa.

Mash 2 avocados and add sour cream 1 T taco seasoning.

To assemble pile the romaine lettuce on a plate and layer each item on the lettuce. Start with sliced egg, then add the sliced chicken breast, next pile on the black bean salsa, next layer 1/2 of the sliced avocado and lastly a layer of the feta or goat cheese.

Top with a layer of the avocado dressing.

Enjoy!