Order a quesadilla from most restaurants and you'll get a glorified cheese sandwich, loaded with gobs of artery-blocking cheese and, if you're lucky, maybe a spoonful of heart-healthy guacamole on the side. A fast food quesadilla means you can add about 500 calories, 30 grams of fat and over 1100 milligrams of sodium to your day's nutritional tally. Still craving a quesadilla? There IS a better way.
A vegan approach to this Mexican comfort food means you can enjoy the taste without wrecking your waistline or your health. In this Zucchini and Corn Quesadilla, I turned to two vegan replacement foods to provide familiar tastes and textures without all the cholesterol, cruelty and fat. Vegan "chicken" strips, from Beyond Meat and dairy-free Pepper Jack Style Shreds from Daiya, helped to make these quesadillas hearty, chewy and familiar enough to satisfy even the non-vegans at the table.
Replacement products aren't for everyone; some prefer to leave the familiarity of certain foods behind, so leave out the vegan "chicken" strips, if you like. These quesadillas are equally delicious without them. If you eschew vegan cheese, that's ok, too! The refried beans will help hold the quesadilla together. Serve these with Tropical Tomatillo Salsa for a gourmet experience! Perfect as a main dish or appetizer.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Place vegan chicken strips in a food processor and pulse quickly to chop. Add enchilada sauce and pulse to combine, leaving the mixture very chunky. Set aside. This can be done a day or two in advance to allow for time to marinate.
Set a medium pan over medium heat and drizzle a little olive oil in the pan. Add onion and salt, then cook while stirring occasionally for about 5 to 8 minutes or until the onion softens and becomes translucent. Add zucchini to the pan and cook until zucchini starts to soften, then add corn and garlic. Stir and continue to cook till zucchini is fork-tender, another 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in lime juice and ground pepper.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and lay out enough tortillas to cover the tray. Spread about 1 tablespoon of refried beans on the tortilla. Sprinkle two tablespoons of vegan chicken mixture over the refried beans, then layer on the zucchini-corn mixture. Use an offset spatula or knife to even everything out. Sprinkle on two tablespoons of Daiya shreds and top with a tortilla. Place tray in the oven and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes. Refried beans and vegan cheese should be bubbling. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before cutting into wedges. Repeat until tortillas have all been used. Can be made ahead and reheated. Can also be made on an electric panini maker. Layer any leftover ingredients in an oven-safe bowl and bake for about 10 minutes to make a dip for chips.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Place vegan chicken strips in a food processor and pulse quickly to chop. Add enchilada sauce and pulse to combine, leaving the mixture very chunky. Set aside. This can be done a day or two in advance to allow for time to marinate.
Set a medium pan over medium heat and drizzle a little olive oil in the pan. Add onion and salt, then cook while stirring occasionally for about 5 to 8 minutes or until the onion softens and becomes translucent. Add zucchini to the pan and cook until zucchini starts to soften, then add corn and garlic. Stir and continue to cook till zucchini is fork-tender, another 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in lime juice and ground pepper.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and lay out enough tortillas to cover the tray. Spread about 1 tablespoon of refried beans on the tortilla. Sprinkle two tablespoons of vegan chicken mixture over the refried beans, then layer on the zucchini-corn mixture. Use an offset spatula or knife to even everything out. Sprinkle on two tablespoons of Daiya shreds and top with a tortilla. Place tray in the oven and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes. Refried beans and vegan cheese should be bubbling. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before cutting into wedges. Repeat until tortillas have all been used. Can be made ahead and reheated. Can also be made on an electric panini maker. Layer any leftover ingredients in an oven-safe bowl and bake for about 10 minutes to make a dip for chips.
