Roasted red peppers are often times overlooked in the supermarket. When you think of a nutrient dense, red vegetable the first thing that comes to mind for many is a tomato. However, we encourage you to go out of your comfort zone and begin to incorporate more red peppers into your diet. Not only does 1 medium red pepper have about three times amount of Vitamin C as an orange (85% vs. 250%), but they can easily be added to lots of different dishes that you probably already eat… like quesadillas!
These Roasted Red Pepper Quesadillas are an excellent vegetarian dish that won’t leave you feeling overstuffed, like some Mexican food can. The best part about them is that they are loaded with other veggies (mushrooms and onions) making them a totally nutritious meal. If you can, roast your own red peppers, but using store bought is fine too! You can find jarred roasted red peppers in the same aisle of the grocery store as tomato sauce.
Make a batch of the veggies ahead of time, then assemble these quesadillas for an easy lunch or snack during the week.
- 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
- 1/2 tsp. coconut oil
- 1/4 cup sliced portobello mushrooms
- 1 red pepper, roasted and chopped (jarred or roasted at home)
- 1 whole wheat tortilla
- 1/4 cup shredded swiss cheese
- Set the stovetop to medium heat. Using a large nonstick skillet, cook the onion in the coconut oil for about 10 minutes, until it starts to brown.
- Add the portobello mushrooms, set the heat to medium low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.
- Next, add the red pepper, and continue to cook for 5 more minutes.
- Lay the whole wheat tortilla flat on the counter. Add half of swiss cheese to the bottom half.
- Top the swiss cheese with 1/4 cup of the veggie mixture.
- Add the second half of swiss cheese to the top of the veggie mixture, then fold the tortilla in half.
- Transfer the quesadilla to a new skillet, sprayed with nonstick oil and cook for 2 or 3 minutes on each side on medium heat, until the cheese is melted.
- Cut into 4 pieces. Serve with your favorite Mexican toppings.
