Hummus, Sweet Potato & Greens Quesadillas

I love Mexican cuisine.  I mean, I REALLY love it!  But up until about ten years ago, I rarely ever partook in this exquisite culinary experience.  Maybe it had to do with growing up in the northern Midwest, where the most genuine Mexican food we could find was found under a bell-shaped, fast-food sign, and a directive to “head for the border.” (The border of what, though….Illinois?)

It was only when a friend taught me the joys of simple enchiladas that my eyes began to open.  From there, the fish tacos, chalupas, and all sorts of burritos (naked and “clothed”) became staples in the Nagle household.

Now, I’ve never been a big fan of quesadillas.  I mean, seriously….throw some cheese between two tortillas and fry them up.  Always seemed, well…1) boring, and 2) a total cop-out for Mexican cuisine.

But with the girls coming over tonight, I was in the mood for something rather simple, i.e., something without a lot of complexity that would likely be “too adventurous” for the likes of Midwestern teenaged girls.  So, I quickly headed to the vegan blogs on WordPress.com, which have quickly become a “go-to” source for quick and easy vegan recipes. (I guess that makes this recipe simply “quick and easy,” a descriptor that I hope has never been applied to me!).

After perusing the various blogs for several minutes, I came up with an idea that blended several others….and yes, they would be quesadillas.

No, by its very name, a quesadilla should include, well…..queso.  Now, clearly that wouldn’t work for “The Vegan Prince,” as I’ve take to calling myself on my dietary adventures in the kitchen (It hasn’t caught on with anyone else, but leave me with my fantasy, I beg you!).  So here it is….

Hummus Sweet Potato & Wilted Greens Quesadillas

 

Ingredients:

½ cup diced onion

One large sweet potato, chopped into squares

Two garlic gloves, chopped

2 cans vegetarian refried pinto beans

Hummus (plain or flavored, your choice)

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Greens (I used half spinach and half Chard)

4 10-inch tortillas

Directions:

In a frying pan, combine the garlic, and onions with three tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat.  When the onions have started browning, add your mixed greens and wilt.  Set aside.

In a shallow saucepan, place chopped sweet potato in water and heat to a boil.  When pieces have become soft, drain water and mash the sweet potatoes.  Return to burner over low heat.  Add refried beans and fresh cilantro.  Mix thoroughly.

In your frying pan, place a tortilla.  Spread a thick layer of hummus.  On top of that, scoop a hearty amount of your bean/potato mix and spread to within a half-inch of the edge of the tortilla.  Then spoon on some of the wilted greens and sautéed onions.  Top with another layer of hummus and then the second tortilla.

When the bottom tortilla begins to brown, carefully (I use two spatulas) flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes.  Then place the quesadilla on a plate and cut into quarters.  Now, truly enjoy a ‘’south of the border” experience…..it’s rather exquisite, I promise you.  Oh, yes….and Kaitlyn agrees!

So, bring on the cerveza….or red wine, as was the case in our house!

The Joy of Bacon!

How often do you hear people salivate (and, yes, I do mean hear them) over the gourmet slices of swine bellies?  Oh, I’ve been there.  I love the taste of bacon…always have.  Over the past decade or so, as I tried (sometimes in vain) to eat a bit more healthily, I intentionally cut back on how often I partook of this treat.  But it never was easy.

If you’ve been following my blog, you also have likely figured out that I really enjoy playing the role of a novice chef, who takes his time putting together great vegan meals that sometimes are not widely appreciated by the spawn of my loins.  Well, that’s only half the story.  The other half is that, like most of you, I can be incredibly lazy and disinterested after a long day to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.  I definitely take advantage of opportunities for quick meals on a regular basis.

Okay….so love of bacon….and desire for a quick dinner.  And much to my kids’ chagrin, nope, I haven’t given up the whole “vegan thing,” as they so lovingly refer to it.

So, what’s quicker and more tasty than a fantastic BLT, right?  Wait, why do I hear no dripping chops?  Tell me the truth….is it because of the whole “vegan thing?”

Well, tonight we did make BLTs, and, yes, they were vegan.  But we also conducted an experiment at Casa de Nagle.  We taste tested several varieties of “non-bacon” bacon.

Chelsea’s favorite (although even the sight makes me want to gag) is the Morningstar Bacon.  Thankfully for me, that’s made with egg product, so I’m safe from having to gag that down. But she likes it, so that’s what she made.

JoDee’s a strong advocate for the Smart Bacon.  And to be honest, I thought I had bought some of that last week on a shopping trip, only to discover that what I purchased (Maple Bacon Tempeh) was something entirely different.  But come on, I love tempeh, and who doesn’t like maple-flavored anything?!?!

Today, since I was out at the store anyway, I DID this time pick up some of the Smart Bacon….giving us (collectively) three brands to taste test.

Drumroll please….First, I should say that all three are incredibly easy.  A few minutes in an oiled frying pan, flip them, and a few minutes more.  Finished!  So far….so good!

REAL drumroll please…..

I decided to taste the Tempeh version first.  And while it wasn’t bad, it certainly wasn’t very close to tasting like bacon.  And the texture was….well, it was like Tempeh, not bacon.  Then I tried the Smart Bacon….WOW!  Seriously, while the coloring is a little different than actual bacon, I would bet that had this been a blind taste test, even the most discerning eater of pig would have thought he was eating a little porker!  Even Chelsea agreed….the best of the three was the Smart brand!  That’s a REAL endorsement, let me tell you!

So, here’s the recipe (homemade) for the BLTs:

Ingredients

Whole Wheat Hamburger Bun

Tomato, sliced

Baby Arugula

Smart Bacon, 2 slices

Vegannaise (again, you won’t know the difference from non-vegan mayo)

Earth Balance, 2 tbsp

Vegetable oil, 1 tbsp

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium frying pan, heat the vegetable oil until it shimmers.  Place two slices of the Smart Bacon into the pan for two minutes before flipping.  Continue cooking bacon for two additional minutes, then remove slices and place on a paper towel to remove excess grease.  Meanwhile, toast hamburger bun for approximately 2-3 minutes in the oven.  Once toasted, spread Earth Balance on one side of the bun and Vegannaise on the other.  Place a small handful of baby arugula on the bottom half of the bun, to slices of tomato atop that, and top it all off with two slices of bacon and the upper half of the bun.

Enjoy!