Simple & filling vegan quesadilla

Happy Hump Day, friends. 

Today's recipe is cheap and easy, yet healthy and super filling. 

It's full of veggies, vitamin c, protein, calcium, and a number of other nutrients. It's also something that you can jazz up and make for a nice dinner, or leave simple for a quick lunch. 

Before I get into the simple "how to" of making it, I want to finally finish my Kitchen Essentials for vegan cooking. 

I have already covered spices, fruits, grains, and vegetables to keep around. Last but not least, I will finish on what protein I like to keep around.

Many people believe that protein somehow exclusively comes from meat and animals products, while this is simply not true. Protein originates from plants, and in fact, farm animals get their protein from plants in the first place. So, while we may not think of things such as broccoli, rice, or spinach having protein, they actually are great sources of protein! If you're more interested in this particular topic, jump over to my High Protein Tofu Stir-Fry recipe for more on it!

Today, I'm going to cover cooking sources of protein to keep around. As you can see below, there are many:

For my purposes, I will list my top three favorite.

1. Beans

There are endless different kinds of beans: white. black, pinto, kidney, chick pea, and more. Beans are an excellent source of protein and fiber, and are rich in vitamins and minerals. They make great additions to stew, casserole, quesadillas and wraps, curry, salad, etc. They can also make great patties, such as bean burgers and falafel. Heck, they can even be processed down to create a creamy pasta sauce. The sky is the limit with this protein group. Not to mention, you can make a meal to feed four with one 65 cent can. 

2. Lentils

Lentils are of the legume family. I have used lentils in lieu of beef in lasagna, in stews, in stir-fry, in Mexican bowls, salads, and many more. This is a versatile protein source and a very easy add to many different dishes and cuisines. Both my Green Lentil Tacos, and Southwestern Salad recipes use lentils as a source of protein.  

3. Soy foods

Soy foods are broad and cover many possibilities. So far, I have a couple recipes up that use tofu as a protein source. Tofu is an excellent alternative to meat, not only nutritionally, but economically. Whereas two chicken breasts can cost around 10 dollars, a twin pack of tofu is less than 2 dollars. Additionally, tempeh (a tougher-than-tofu soy product) makes great "chick'n" sandwiches and such. On that note, soy is also the protein used in many meat alternates, such as Quorn products. Lastly, though this is certainly not an extensive list, edamame is a soy product and is an excellent source of protein as well. 

Today's recipe use of beans makes the quesadilla incredibly filling! 

The vegan cheese is warm and gooey, and the shell and veggies are crisp. It's an all-around winner. 

Time: 10-15 minutes

Serves: 4

What you'll need:

4 large flour tortillas

1 large avocado (optional)

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can of corn, drained

1 cup diced tomatoes

1/2 diced onion, red or white

Non-dairy cheese, you choose how much

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tbsp. lemon or lime juice

1 tbsp. cumin

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp oregano

1 tbsp. olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

What you'll do:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add in garlic and onions, and cook for 5 minutes or until onions begin to become translucent.
2. Meanwhile, mash up of the avocado with a fork. Add a squirt of lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
3. Add in the black beans, corn, tomatoes, and lemon juice, and cook until warm
4. Lower heat, and stir in spices (cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper). 
5. Keep on warm and prepare another pan. 
6. One-by-one, brush the tortilla with olive oil, and (optional) salt and pepper. Put the oiled side on the pan (medium-high heat), and load up one half of the tortilla with the dairy-free cheese, a couple scoops from the pan, then more cheese to help it stick. 
7. Fold the other half of the tortilla over. Cook for a couple minutes on each side, or until the tortilla starts to brown. Keep it on for longer if you want crunchier. 
8. Repeat with others. 
9. Note: you may want to lower the heat just above medium for the second, third, and fourth quesadillas. I have found that sometimes after I've made one, the following quesadillas cook too quickly. 
10. Serve with avocado, and enjoy!