Quesadilla night!

We have quesadillas at least once a week.  I would say they are one of Larry's favorite meals.  They are also a super easy meal to make to please both vegans and non-vegans!  All you have to do is use different cheeses.  We recently discovered Daiya dairy free cheese--it comes in 3 different flavors (cheddar, mozzeralla, and pepperjack), melts very well, and, most importantly, it's vegan. 

I have made quesadillas in a variety of ways...plain cheese, cheese with a soy-based meat product, and sweet potato and black beans just to name a few.  The quesadillas I made tonight are my current favorite--cheese, mashed avocado, and refried beans. 

You don't need many ingredient to make this yummy meal!

You don't need many ingredients - just whole-wheat tortillas, vegan cheese for the vegans, dairy cheese for the non-vegans, refried beans (I prefer refried black beans), and an avocado (or two, depending on how many quesadillas you are making).

First, mash the avocado.  I usually add a bit of garlic salt to the avocado to give it a little bit of flavor.

 
Next, add a small amount of olive oil to a frying pan that is large enough to fit a tortilla and turn the stove to medium heat.  Place the tortilla in the pan and top with cheese.  Add a few scoops of refried beans and a few scoops of avocado in the middle of the tortilla.

Add a small amount of cheese to the top of the refried beans and avocado.

Place a second tortilla on top and flatten the quesadilla using a spatula so that the ingredients are pushed out towards the sides.

Once the bottom has browned, flip the quesadilla and cook until the other side is browned.  Once it is cooked thoroughly, transfer your quesadilla to a plate.  Use a pizza cutter to cut your quesadilla into the desired number of slices.

I always make the vegan quesadilla first.  Repeat the process using dairy cheese (if desired).  Add your favorite toppings (we like to add salsa) and enjoy!

"That must be tough!"

The comment I get most often when I tell people that Larry is vegan: "that must be tough!" 

It actually isn't!  There are so many options when cooking for a vegan.  I have grown to really enjoy tofu and coconut milk ice cream...though I do still eat a burger when I go out to eat or put real cheese on my half of the pizza when we make our own pizza for dinner. 

We eat some pretty tasty meals.  One of my current favorites is just a basic stir-fry. 

Fresh onions, peppers, broccoli, garlic, and tofu (Vermont tofu is the best if you can find it!  They have it at the Whole Foods in Bellingham, MA but not at the Whole Foods in Providence, RI.  Let me know if you know of other places that carry it!) mixed with a little bit of rice and reduced sodium teriyaki sauce and soy sauce = a healthy, yummy dinner!