Summer Vegetable Quesadillas with Pico de Gallo and Avocado Crema

How’s that title for some Spanglish?

This meal was made during staycation with my mom and brother, and it featured some of the aforementioned produce that Dan and I picked at Linvilla Orchards prior to me heading to my mom’s for the week. I love to cook seasonally; thus, purple bell peppers (more to come on those guys), zucchini, and summer squash were the stars of my summer vegetable quesadillas, with the addition of Vidalia onion and portobello mushrooms. Of course, the pico de gallo was made with cilantro from my mom’s garden, as well as perfectly-ripe tomatoes. I also decided to throw some avocado crema into the mix because, quite simply, everything is better with avocado.

The beauty of quesadillas is that their contents can be easily tweaked depending on what’s in season at the time in which you’re making them. Plus, they’re so dang simple to make and so dang scrumptious to eat that they’re definitely one of my go-to meals year-round. However, I have to admit, “Winter Vegetable Quesadillas” certainly doesn’t have as nice of a ring to it. ;)

Note: The recipe provided yields four quesadillas.

PART 1: PICO DE GALLO

What you’ll need:

• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 a Vidalia onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
• Cracked black pepper and Himalayan salt to taste
• 1 sprig of fresh cilantro

What you’ll do:

• Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl
• Spoon into a medium-sized serving bowl and garnish with the sprig of cilantro

PART 2: AVOCADO CREMA

What you’ll need:

• 2 avocados, cubed
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp. fresh cilantro
• 1 clove fresh garlic
• Cracked black pepper and Himalayan salt to taste

What you’ll do:

• Combine all ingredients in a food processor; blend until smooth
• Spoon into a squeeze bottle (to create funky designs on the quesadillas) or a small serving bowl (to spoon a generous dollop onto each quesadilla)

PART 3: SUMMER VEGETABLE QUESADILLAS

What you’ll need:

• 1 summer squash, chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 2 purple bell peppers, sliced (If you can’t find this variety, any variety will do. I got mine at Whole Foods.)
• 1/2 a Vidalia onion, sliced
• 3 large portobello mushroom caps, chopped
• 1/2 cup grape seed oil
• Cracked black pepper and Himalayan salt to taste
• 8 whole wheat tortillas
• 2 cups Mexican cheese blend
• Grape seed oil or coconut oil spray
• 4 sprigs of fresh cilantro

What you’ll do:

• Combine the peppers, onions, and grape seed oil in a large frying pan; sauté over medium heat until the peppers and onions begin to soften
• Add the squash and zucchini; sauté until the squash and zucchini are cooked through, yet still have a slight crunch to them
• Stir in the mushrooms, black pepper, and salt, and sauté until the mushrooms are cooked through; remove the pan from heat and set aside
• For each quesadilla:
  • Allow a large frying pan to warm over medium heat for about 2 minutes
  • Spray the pan with either grape seed oil or coconut oil, and assemble the quesadilla in the pan by layering in the following order: 1 tortilla, 1/4 cup cheese, 1/2 cup of the vegetable mixture, another 1/4 cup cheese, and another tortilla
  • Cook with the lid on for approximately 2 minutes, or until the bottom layer is golden brown
  • Remove the quesadilla from heat, respray the pan, and flip the quesadilla on its other side; again, cook with the lid on for approximately 2 minutes, or until the bottom layer is golden brown
  • Place the quesadilla onto a serving dish, cut into quarters with a pizza slicer, and garnish with pico de gallo, avocado crema, and a sprig of fresh cilantro
  • Using the remaining ingredients, repeat the previous four steps three more times

P.S. Recipe for my guacamole, pictured below, to come soon!