Mexican Mixup! GF Vegan Quesadillas!

What a fun surprise tonight! We had my bro and his wife with us for dinner! They were driving back from the wedding and swung by to pick up Annie, and they rolled in just in time for dinner! Lucky us!!

Killer Guacamole -- this stuff is addictinggggg!

Luckily, we knew well ahead of time that they’d be dining with us, so we made enough food. And boy was it good! I made GF Vegan Veggie Quesadillas with Lentil “Taco Meat” and Un-Fried Black Beans! YUMMO! Toasty Tortillas filled with Spicy Peppers and Onions, Taco “Meat,” and Vegan Cheeze topped with Outageous Guacamole! For my parents and brother, I gave them real cheddar and sour cream on flour tortillas:)

gluten-free and vegan and 100% delicious!

First, the Lentil Taco “Meat”

Here’s what you need:

1 cup of lentils, rinsed
1 red onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, grated
2 3/4 cup vegetable stock
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano

First, saute your onions and garlic in 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, and spices. Allow them to get tender. Then, stir in your lentils and make sure they are coated with the spices — about 1 minute. Then pour in your stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Cook, covered, for about 25 minutes, until the lentils are tender.

Next, the Spicy Peppers and Onions. These would also make a spectacular fajita filling!

Here’s what you need:

Spice Mix:
1 Tbsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp paprika
salt and pepper

1 Red Onion, diced
2 Red Peppers, chopped
1 Yellow Pepper, chopped
4 Garlic Cloves, minced

Saute your onions and garlic in 1 1/2 tsp EVOO with the spice mix for about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add in your peppers and cook for about 3 minutes, until they are crisp-tender. You don’t want raw peppers, and you don’t want mushy peppers. Set aside to cool a teensy bit before constructing your quesadillas.

To construct the Quesadillas: — Layer –

GF Brown Rice Flour Tortilla from Food For Life ((SO amazing!)) –or– flour tortilla
Cheese — Vegan or Cheddar
Lentil Taco “Meat”
Spicy Peppers and Onions
Cheese
Tortilla

Construct your quesadillas on a plate, and then slide into a dry, hot, non-stick or cast iron pan. CAREFULLY flip (with a HUGE spatula) after about 3 minutes. Remove from pan when cheese is gooey. Top with guacamole!

delicious Cilantro Lime Un-Fried Black Beans completed the plate!

Killer Guacamole Recipe:

2 avocados
3 Tbsp minced onion
squeeze of lime
1 garlic clove, grated
1/2 small tomato, seeded and diced small –optional–
handful chopped cilantro
salt

Mash avocado with salt and lime juice. Stir everything but the tomatoes in, and then gently fold in the tomatoes. Refrigerate. Delish.

Finally, the “Un-Fried” Black Beans.

1/2 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup veg stock
juice and zest of 1/2 lime
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp spice mix
handful chopped cilantro
S&P

Saute the onion and garlic for 5 minutes with the spices. Add in the black beans and mix for a minute.  Then, mash with a potato masher and stir in the veg stock. Let that evaporate. Before serving, stir in the lime juice, zest, and cilantro. Yum!

gorgeous pepper and onion filling!

This meal was phenomenal. Quesadillas are a fun twist on your typical Mexican meal! Everyone loved this meal and practically licked their plates! The lentil taco “meat” is so satisfying and tasty! The spice mix with the hearty lentils give a great body to the quesadillas. Paired with the crunchy peppers and smooth, creamy guacamole — it was a match made in Heaven! The tortilla shell grills up beautifully, with a warm, crunchy-chewy outside. And the cheese on the inside is gooey and melty. So delicious! Complimented by the Cilantro Lime Un-Fried Black Beans on the side, this was a meal fit for royalty!

Even though the food was terrific, it’s the people you share it with that transform “food” into a special meal.  It was so great to have those two with us…even if it was just for a quick bite to eat!

Next time you feel like making tacos, try your hand at the humble quesadilla! Same ingredients, just more fun to eat!

my bro's non-vegan and non-G-Free doggie bag

All that was left were 2 slices … and they went home with my brother in a “doggie bag!”

Happy Monday