You need to make this. You need to make this right now. After you finish reading this post and how to make it, go make it!

As a vegan, I don’t endorse eating fake animal products (like fake meats and fake cheeses) as they contain a lot of processed ingredients, soy, and nasty food colorings and preservatives. AKA just because it’s vegan doesn’t mean it’s healthy! But let’s be real, quesadillas are life. Having those delicious fillings in between a crunchy tortilla… mmm mmm mmm. I was craving a quesadilla the other week but obviously didn’t want to eat a bunch of fake, health-less cheese. So I got creative. And I nailed it. Once again 😉

Granted, this isn’t like your classic ooey-gooey quesadilla, but it’s a grand alternative for a vegan, healthy version.

Vegan (No-Fake Cheese) Quesadilla 

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

2 brown rice tortillas (or gluten free tortilla of choice, not corn)

1 large sweet potato, baked

1 cup of canned or cooked black beans (rinsed and drained)

1/2 cup thinly sliced baby mushrooms

1/2-1 small onion, diced (depending on how much onion you like)

1 cup baby spinach

Spices of choice: salt, pepper, chili pepper (my personal suggestions)

*You can add jalapeños for an extra kick

**You can also sprinkle a few tbs of nutritional yeast in your quesadilla (or add 1/4 cup to your sweet potato mash) for more of a cheesy flavor.

Directions:

Saute onion and mushrooms in a pan with 1 tablespoon of water until they begin to soften.

While onions and mushrooms are cooking, scoop the flesh out of your sweet potato and mash it in a bowl with spices of choice (I personally just like salt but if you want more of a kick, add 1/2-1 tsp ground red pepper). Don’t throw away the peel! It’s packed with nutrients. I like to use it as vehicle for getting other food into my mouth.

Mash your black beans in a separate bowl.

Lay out 1 tortilla on a cutting board and spread half the sweet potato over the tortilla. Layer half your mashed black beans on one half of the tortilla then add half your onion and mushroom mixture to the same half.

Lay spinach over half the tortilla and then fold tortilla in half (folding just sweet potato side over the layered side). Press down lightly.

Slide quesadilla into a frying pan over medium heat. Cover and let cook about 3-5 minutes, until pan side down begins to brown. Using a spatula, do your best to get under the tortilla and quickly flip it. Cook uncovered for another 3-5 minutes until both sides are browned.

While first quesadilla is cooking, prep your second tortilla. Cook the same way.

When quesadilla is done, slide it out of the pan onto your cutting board and cut into 2-4 pieces.

Serve with a side of guacamole or salsa (or both) and enjoy this vegan version of an all time favorite!

I like my food with a view 😉