Green Quesadillas with Black Bean Hummus

As I mentioned in an earlier post, this has been an extremely full week. I have been in my garden every day after work planting, and watering and fertilizing, and staring at mounds of dirt, and waiting for things to come up, and smiling :) I have patience issues, but the plants don't care about that. They put me in my place, and grow at their own pace. One day I got this insane urge to catch a cricket while I was out there...and I tried to do it!!! I haven't touched a cricket since I was at least 10, and I have to say I still haven't. I wasn't fully committed because he was a little gross looking, and also too fast for me. Still, it reminded me of laying in the grass in my parents back yard stalking grasshoppers as a kid. I was a master grasshopper hunter :) Those were the days! I wonder if this is what a mid-life crisis feels like. I always knew that I wouldn't be of the red convertible variety, but seriously??? Anyhoo, the point is, our diet has seriously suffered this week for the garden, and my cricket catching activities. One night in particular I dined on a bowl of frozen mixed vegetables and a piece of Swiss cheese rolled up inside a piece of sliced turkey. It was delightful :) So last night, because we haven't had a decent meal all week, because I've only done one food post this week, and because my sister in law was showing off to me about the corn beef and cabbage she had in her crock pot, and prattling on about what I should make for St. Patrick's day, I made…green quesadillas and black bean hummus. You can't get more Irish than that, right??? OK, back off! It's Irish and Mexican fusion. You probably haven't heard of it. It's pretty cutting edge :) Regardless, I will tell you that Mississippi Rob and I both ate it and we both liked it. It was very good and very easy. Easy is important sometimes, when you are hunting cricket. I wonder if there is a limit on how many times you should say cricket in a food blog post??? I haven't seen it covered in any of the "how to make your food blog appealing" type articles I've read, but I have this vision of Gordon Ramsey and Robert Irvine simultaneously cringing every time I type it. Please forgive me. I've always been a little rebellious :) Here's how I made the quesadillas:

I added 1 clove garlic -chopped fine, 1 banana pepper -sliced in rings, and about 9 sprigs of cilantro -roughly chopped to a small bowl.

I added 2 tbsp of red wine vinegar, a couple of grinds of fresh pepper and a pinch of salt to the pepper mixture, covered it and put it aside.

To the bullet or food processor, add 2 cups canned black beans, 2 tbsp liquid from beans, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 clove garlic, 1/2 tsp ground cumin and a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Blend until smooth. This is actually my sister-in-laws recipe, and I also have to confess that I got in a hurry (because I had to go water the plants before dark) and got the proportions wrong, so mine looks much more runny than usual. It was still good, but I just wanted to point out that it is normally much thicker. It is also extremely addictive, low calorie and for my backpacker friends it dehydrates very well and re-hydrates with cold water. Really, really good stuff!!!

Now to make the quesadillas. Slice one small zucchini in thin strips long ways, and add to a heated pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Add a couple grinds of pepper,  a couple pinches of salt and 1/4 tsp cumin.

Add about 3 thin sliced onion rings, and cook vegetables until tender but not to soft.

In a separate non-stick pan spray with non-stick spray and 5 to 8 squirts of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray. When pan is heated, add one flour tortilla. Spread 1/4 cup fat free cheddar cheese over the tortilla.

Place half of the squash and onion pieces on top of the cheese.

Add a generous amount of the pepper mixture.

Cover with a second tortilla.

When the cheese has melted and the bottom tortilla is lightly browned flip it. Cook the other side until lightly browned. Remove quesadilla with spatula to plate. Cut quesadilla into quarters and add black bean hummus and what ever other toppings you like. I used low fat sour cream and Wholly Guacamole. Have you tried Wholly Guacamole? I was skeptical at first,  but it is really good, all natural and now it is sold in individual 100 calorie packs which is awesome, because I love guacamole and MRob won't go near it. Just sharing.

 

 YUMMMMM!!!!

I hope you have a great Friday and an awesome weekend! I hope you get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. I hope you ride in a red convertible with the wind blowing through your hair. I hope you spy a cricket along the side of the road as you are riding, and leap spontaneously from the convertible to catch the cricket. I hope you catch him, and then put him down gently. I hope you feel really, miraculously alive, and I hope some one is holding a video camera near you if you go chasing after a cricket :)

Cricket! Cricket! Cricket! Sorry, I couldn't stop myself. I am OCD and rebellious you know :)

Love,

Stephanie H.

Black Bean Hummus Recipe

2 cups canned black beans
2 tbsp. liquid from beans
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
pinch cayenne pepper (I use Tabasco)
 
Put all ingredients in blender or food processor and blend until smooth.