Use What You Have: Poblano Quesadillas w/ Black Beans and Corn

Its fall, and William was so excited on Sunday to make his favorite fall/winter dish, Chili [recipe to come].  It was delicious! Last night, however, after mowing the lawn and going for a 4 mile walk/run, we decided to give our wallets a break and clean out the fridge instead.

I also have to credit my mother in this blog because she is the queen of using what you have; she amazes me!

What we had:
-poblano peppers [leftover from chili]
-the cheese drawer [pepperjack, cheddar, monterrey jack]
-tortillas [always have some tortillas- like a canvas]
-frozen corn [from previous recipe]
-black beans [favorite quick fix ingredient]
-roma tomatoes [on sale at aldi]
-a spice drawer and fresh herbs
-thai hot chili sauce [used for black bean burgers]

What we made:
-three cheese + poblano pepper quesadillas
-black beans + corn + herbs and spices (cumin, chili powder, cilantro, thai hot chili sauce)
-diced tomato topping

=use what you have dinner & meatless monday!

not the best picture, but just wanted to
give you an idea of what we did

Thanks Shepard for our cutting board,
we are obsessed!

Quesadillas are such a great way to use what you have, just add whatever is tasty with cheese, which is pretty much EVERYTHING!

Have a Great Week!

Elizabeth Milne, MS, RD, LD

Use What You Have: Cucumber & Tomato Salad

I hate wasting food so I like to make up recipes to use what I have, and the other day the item was cucumbers. When recipes don't just come to you, this search engine by Allrecipe.com is great because you can put in the ingredients you have and it searches for recipes, brilliant!

Ingredients:

2 Cucumbers

4 Roma Tomatoes

1/3 cup of Newman's Own Olive Oil & Vinegar Dressing

1/2 teaspoon of dried basil 

(fresh basil would be better, but I did not have any)

Salt & Pepper to taste 

Ingredients

Dice the tomatoes & add to mixing bowl

Dice the cucumbers & add to mixing bowl

Add olive oil & vinegar to bowl

Add Basil, Salt, and Pepper to the bowl

Mix it all together and refrigerate for a little

while so all the flavors soak in

Perfect pop of color to add to dinner

Enjoy!

Elizabeth Milne, MS, RD, LD

Five Favorite Quick Fix Ingredients

1) Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar Salad Dressing

This delicious salad dressing is an excellent addition to your mixed green salad, but I do not stop there.  I have used this dressing as a substitute in recipes for oil and vinegar, I have marinated chicken with this dressing, and I have marinated vegetables... It really mixes quite well with anything!

2) Avocados

Avocados are like the icing on the cake for salads, their green color is so vibrant that it adds another dimension to your meal. My new favorite use for avocados was discovered at the Birmingham restaurant, Urban Cookhouse.  Their B.A.L.T. [bacon, avocado, lettuce, and tomato] makes me wonder how the classic B.L.T. was ever popular when the avocado really completes the sandwich.  I also love this Creamy Avocado Dressing recipe from Closet Cooking.

3) Pesto

Whenever there is no food in the refrigerator and William and I just cannot bring ourselves to go to the store we usually turn to pasta.  I am always a little more excited about this go-to meal when we have a jar of pesto because it really can turn something that is slightly boring into a tasty little dish.  I am not the only one to discover all the things pesto can do, Food Network loves this magical ingredient and outlined its uses in the article, "50 Things to Make with Pesto."  My favorites include adding pesto to pasta, pizza, and sandwiches!

4) Black Beans

I love black beans, and lately I have not only been eating them as a side, but have found many fabulous recipes where black beans are the star ingredient. My favorites include Black Bean Burgers from allrecipes.com and Hearty Black Bean Quesadillas from Budget Bytes. I also must note that black beans are nutrient rich, a great source of fiber and protein, and low in fat.

5) Hummus

Hummus is usually my snack solution, its like the new ranch dressing. My new favorite hummus flavor, Basil & Pesto Hummus by Sabra, is great for dipping carrots, celery, and pita chips.  This dip also makes for a delicious sandwich spread, and recently I have found these must try recipes, Hummus and Grilled Vegetable Pizza from Budget Bytes and Pepper Chicken with Hummus from Epicurious.

What are your favorite ingredients?

Elizabeth Milne, MS, RD, LD