Quesadillas are a favorite snack in our house, as we always seem to have the ingredients on hand. Anything dippable and handheld is always a plus, too! A quesadilla can easily be turned into a meal by adding crispy veggies and a few other choice ingredients.

Here, we marinated a red bell pepper, yellow onion and mushrooms—I think the end result tastes a lot like something you might get in a Tex Mex restaurant. The veggies are combined with roasted corn + black bean purée to make this a filling, healthy(ish) meal. Drizzled with a sweet sour cream sauce, these quesadillas make for a cheap and tasty anytime dish.

INGREDIENTS

• 1-2 large whole wheat tortillas per person

• 1 red bell pepper, sliced

• 1 yellow onion, sliced

• 8 oz. mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

• Colby jack cheese, shredded

• 1 can of corn, drained

• 1 - 15 oz. can black beans, drained

• Juice of one & a half limes

• 1 T. + 1 t. olive oil

• 1/2 t. soy sauce

• 1/2 T. vegetarian Worcestershire sauce

• Ground cumin

• Garlic powder

• Chili powder

• 1/4 t. Cayenne

• Salt & pepper, to taste

• 1/2 c. light sour cream

• 1/4 c. light mayonnaise

• 1/4 c. cilantro, minced, plus extra

• 1/2 T. honey

• Olive oil cooking spray

STEPS

1) Add the sliced bell pepper, onion and mushrooms to a large plastic bag. Add the juice of half a lime + 1 T. olive oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, 1 t. cumin, 1 t. garlic powder, 1/2 t. chili powder, 1/4 t. cayenne, 1/4 t. salt and 1/2 t. pepper. Shake well to combine. Allow to sit in the fridge and marinate for at least 20 minutes.

2) Heat a pan over the highest heat possible and add the corn. Allow the corn to toast, stirring occasionally, until it starts to brown. Remove from heat.

3) Add the black beans to a small food processor along with 1/2 t. cumin, 1/2 t. garlic powder, 1/2 t. chili powder, 1/2 t. pepper, 1/4 salt, the juice from half of a lime and 5 or 6 cilantro leaves. Purée until mostly smooth (I prefer to leave a few chunks).

4) In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, minced cilantro, juice of half a lime, honey and 1 t. olive oil. Whisk well to combine and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Allow to sit in the refrigerate while the veggies are sautéing.

5) Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add the veggies. Sauté until they start to brown.

6) Use a paper towel to wipe out the pan that the veggies cooked in, then spray it with olive oil cooking spray. Use a spatula to spread a bit of the black bean purée onto a tortilla. Place the tortilla dry side down in the pan. Sprinkle with a bit of cheese, add some veggies and corn, then sprinkling with additional cheese. Fold the tortilla in half. Cook, flipping it occasionally, until both sides are browned.. Repeat the process (I made two quesadillas for myself, but only ended up eating about one & a half because it was super filling).

7) Allow the quesadillas to cool for a couple of minutes before cutting. Use a spatula to transfer the sour cream sauce into a plastic bag, and make a tiny cut in one of the corners of the bag. Drizzle the sauce onto the quesadillas, and serve with salsa, if desired.