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Quick and easy...and meat-free

I am not a vegetarian by any stretch. I love meat. The taste; the smell of it roasting, searing, or grilling away. I love meat. But I don't need to eat it at every meal, and I actually quite enjoy meat-free meals from time to time. Those times, however, are rare occasions now that I share cooking duty with an avowed carnivore.

So, when Capt Mike is away, I make some of the dishes I don't get to eat very often. (To be fair, when I am away, Capt Mike gets to indulge in a wide variety of pork products, Kraft dinner, and Lipton SideKicks...we all have our comfort foods.) Today, after taking the puppies on two 3 km hikes through the woods, I wasn't in much of a mood to stand over a hot stove for any length of time, so I hauled out one of my favourite old stand bys: black bean quesadillas. I should point out that Capt Mike has actually tried these, and quite liked them...with a side of meat. ;-)

Black bean quesadillas

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can green chilis
1 clove fresh garlic, roughly chopped, or 1 tsp garlic powder
4 green onions, roughly chopped
Cooking spray, olive oil variety
Shredded part-skim Monterey Jack cheese
Soft tortillas
Salsa to garnish

1. In a food processor, combine beans, chilis, garlic, and onions. Blend until you have a thick, not-quite-smooth paste.

2. Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium flame.

3. Spread ~2 Tbsp of bean mixture over surface of tortilla. Sprinkle ~1 tsp cheese on half of tortilla, and fold over to create a semi-circle shape.

4. Place quesadillas in hot pan, and cook until golden brown on both sides and cheese is melted.

5. Serve with your favourite salsa and a salad.

Buen apetito!