Nummy lunch--black bean quesadillas

[greenmama]

Okay, we know that one of the best ways to "green" our lives is to stop eating meat, right? (http://greenmama.dreamwidth.org/4131.html )

And I'm trying to lose 30 lbs. Okay, 20 would be fine.

So today for lunch I discovered a really quick and absolutely yummy recipe.

Black Bean Quesadillas (for one)

Ingredients
corn tortillas (2, at about 50 calories each)
black beans (2 or 3 tbs, I don't know calorie count but can't be too bad)
1 pepper jack cheese slice, torn in half (about 110 calories) (Okay, I used two whole slices, but you don't have to.)
2 tsp salsa (negligable calorie count, as far as I know)

Grill the tortillas lightly, in toaster oven or if you're us directly on your stove burner. This is a trick I learned from my husband--it works with gas burners, at least, but one needs to pay really close attention to not start a fire or char your tortillas. Turn the burner on its lowest level, and just lay the tortilla directly on the burner. When it starts to curl and crisp a little (or burn, of course), flip it over.  It takes maybe a total of 30 seconds on each side, depending on how grilly you want them.

On half of each tortilla, place half a slice of the cheese, 1 tbs black beans, and 1 tsp salsa.  Fold the tortilla over, and microwave for about 45 seconds. (30 is too little, 60 is too much.) Voila. Lunch. Surprisingly yummy and filling. And we're talking a total of under 300 calories any way you slice it.

Variations on this could be endless--I happen to keep a container of cooked black beans around most of the time and throw them into all kinds of things--even delicious super-nachos can be pretty darn healthy if you go light on the chips and cheese and heavy on the beans and spices, and use yogurt cheese (strained or mediterranean yogurt) instead of sour cream.  Next thing you need a can of beans for, throw in a can and a half and save the rest for later.  A few strips of sauteed or grilled peppers and onions ( http://greenmama.dreamwidth.org/4441.html ) instead of or in addition to the beans.  Almost any meltable cheese would work; Chihuahua is actually by far the best, but not when one is trying to lose weight, unfortunately.  But this is EASY, and really good.

Seriously nummy.

peace,
J
waiting to see how the giant crockpot of white beans does, so I can have a freezer full of those as well as the black ones.