Vegan Quesadillas with Grape Salsa

We decided to go for a Mexican theme this weekend. We had non-vegan visitors and figured that it would be something that everyone would enjoy. It proved to be a tasty and enjoyable meal!

The grape salsa added a spicy and sweet flavor to the savory quesadillas. The quesadillas were filled with spinach, shallots, mushrooms, black beans, and vegan cheese. The guacamole added a nice burst of citrus to everything. Best of all, this meal was very healthy and we all felt good about it. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Quesadillas

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 shallots

4 cups of spinach

2 cups of mushrooms

4 whole wheat tortillas

1 1/2 cup of black beans 

1/2 teaspoon of cumin 

1 clove of garlic

1/8 teaspoon of cayenne

1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

1 cup Diaya Cheese

Grape Salsa

1/2 onion

1 jalapeno 

4 cup of cherry tomatoes

3 cups of red grapes

1 cup of cilantro 

1/2 cup lime juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

Guacamole 

3 cloves of garlic

3 ripe avocados

1/3 cup lime juice

Method 

Quesadillas

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan.

2. When the oil is hot, add 2 diced shallots and cook on medium until they are slightly browned. 

3. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for another 8 minutes. 

4. Add the washed spinach and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the spinach is all wilted (you may need to add a little spinach at a time to fit in all in). 

5. Place the vegetables in a bowl and set aside. 

6. In a separate pot, heat the black beans on medium heat and add the cumin, garlic, cayenne, and black pepper. Stir until the beans are warm, then cover and set aside.

7.  Clean the large pan or skillet. Turn the heat to medium and add 1 teaspoon of olive oil. When the oil is warm, make sure it is spread evenly around the pan. 

8. Place 1 tortilla on the pan. Add a layer of the veggies, beans, cheese, and the other whole wheat tortilla. Be careful to not put too much in the tortilla at once or it will be difficult to flip. 

9. Cook on medium heat for about 6 minutes. Brush the top of the tortilla (facing up) with olive oil before flipping. Then cook for 6 more minutes on the other side. 

10. Repeat with the second tortilla. 

Salsa

1. Get a large mixing bowl. 

2. Dice the onion and jalapeno. Add them to the bowl. 

3. Cut the tomatoes and grapes into quarters and add them to the bowl. 

4. Take the leaves off of the cilantro and add them. 

5. Squeeze limes until you have about 1/3 cup of lime juice and add the juice to the bowl. 

6. Add the salt and mix well. 

Guacamole

1. Get a small mixing bowl.

2. Mince the garlic and add it to the bowl. 

3. Add the avocados and mash until they are broken up. 

4. Add the lime juice and mix well.