Black Bean Quesadillas w/Corn Salsa

Beat the mexican night blahs with this great recipe. My husband is usually the first one to ask "where's the meat" but even he is a fan of these great healthy quesadillas. I try to make this on a Monday or Thursday night since the recipe calls for red bell peppers and their shelf life (at least in my fridge) is not more than a few days. This recipe for dinner is from one of my favorite sites - Cooking Light.

The Menu
Black Bean Quesadillas w/Corn Salsa
Salsamole & Tortilla Chips
Southwest Style Ensalada
Spanish Style Rice *optional addition


Black Bean Quesadillas w/Corn Salsa

Heating all of the quesadillas at the same time in the oven is
faster than cooking them one at a time in a skillet.


Quesadillas:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
2 cups chopped plum tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Cooking spray
3/4 cup (3 ounces) preshredded Mexican blend cheese

Salsa:
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 red bell pepper, chopped

To prepare the quesadillas, preheat the broiler.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, 1/2 cup cilantro, and beans; cook 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Place tortillas on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Top each tortilla with 1/2 cup bean mixture and 3 tablespoons cheese; fold in half. Lightly coat tops with cooking spray. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese melts and tortillas begin to brown. Cut each tortilla into 3 wedges.

To prepare salsa, combine corn and remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve with quesadillas.

Salsamole & Tortilla Chips

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 ripe peeled avocado, seeded and coarsely mashed
1 medium tomato, chopped

Combine the red onion, lime juice, cider vinegar, salt, garlic, and serrano chile in a medium bowl. Add cilantro, avocado, and tomato; stir well. Serve immediately.

Southwest Style Ensalada

I just buy a bagged salad, add a tomato, cucumber and red onions. Our family loves ranch dressing so to spice up the dressing I add a few shots of tabasco sauce and mix. Viola, fast and easy southwest flair to your standard salad.

*For an additional side you can serve your favorite boxed brand of spanish style rice and add a can of drained and rinsed tomatoes. Adding rice adds more starch to this already full meal though so please note that the health factor for this meal will decrease.