Quesadilla Surprise

I've found that many recipes can be vegan-ized and taste just as good (if not far better) than their dairy-filled counterparts.

Who needs eggs in a peanut butter filled chocolate cookie?

And meatballs have a lovely vegan twin called Bean Balls.

I've even been known to vegan-ize Southern favorites like seasoned collard greens.

However, when it came to quesadillas, I felt certain I would never taste a vegan version I liked as well as its cheesy twin. Let's face it: quesadillas were designed for cheese-lovers. That gooey cheddar, sandwiched between two halves of a tortilla shell, is the hallmark of the dish.

Then Sunday, January 16, 2011 came into my life. The day brought a garlicky, cheese-less, roasted corn quesadilla, and it laughed in my fearful face.

I know, I know: A bit melodramatic. Truthfully, Adam was feeling creative in the kitchen and he wanted to surprise me with Sunday dinner...using only ingredients we had on hand (and needed to use up). The result was Garlicky White Bean and Roasted Corn Quesadillas.

Thus, this week I've become a believer in not just cupcakes, but also in cheese-less Mexican food.

Don't get any ideas though. I don't intend to pass up the queso next time we head to Black Bear for dinner.

Garlicky White Bean and Roasted Corn Quesadillas

(an Adam original)

The deliciously flavorful white bean dip serves as a binding agent and cheese stand-in for this vegan take on a Mexican favorite. You may never go back to the dairy-filled version again.

Ingredients:

• a dash of olive oil
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 large onion, diced
• Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 recipe for Garlic & Pine Nut Bean Dip (except we didn't have fresh parsley or pine nuts, so we just left 'em out!)
• Tortilla shells
• Fresh spinach, salsa, and diced avocado for topping

Directions:

1) Heat a dash of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add corn and cook until lightly browned, about 5 - 10 minutes. Add onion and cook until softened.

2) To prepare quesadillas, generously spread tortilla shell with bean dip. Top one half of the shell with the roasted corn mixture and diced tomatoes. Fold in half. Heat a little olive oil in the same skillet, and cook quesadilla on one side until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes). Flip and cook until other side is lightly browned. Serve with chopped spinach, avocado, and salsa.