Kale black bean quesadilla

Keep quesadillas on hand as a kitchen staple and you'll never be left wondering what to whip up fast again.

If I had to choose one goal for this blog, it would be to encourage everyone to cook with what they have – and make the most of it! For me, that’s the easiest way to decrease food waste (while simultaneously making it easier to cook!). It’s definitely an acquired mindset – you need to plan ahead, be willing to get creative, and develop some knowledge of how to cook a wide variety of foods.

Today let’s talk a tiny bit about keeping your pantry stocked with things that help you throw together a meal. For me, that means always having stock (for soup! or tasty rice!), canned tomatoes (more soup! or pasta sauce!), rice, and beans! And, if we’re talking refrigerator stuff and being totally honest … I always have cheese and tortillas. Like, ALWAYS. You know I love my quesadillas!

In the spirit of sharing how to use what you have, I used four ingredients that I ALWAYS have (kale, cheese, tortillas, and refried beans!) to make my go-to quesadilla. It hits the spot every time, is SO easy to make, and is endlessly customizable. I used regular kale in this one, but you could throw in some garlicky kale for a spicy kick! Check out the video!

Kale black bean quesadilla
Serves 1

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup torn kale leaves
2 medium tortillas
1/4 cup Pacific Foods Refried Beans (I used black)
1/2 cup grated cheese
salt & pepper

1. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a small frying pan. When hot, add the kale with a small amount of water. Cook, stirring, until the kale is totally wilted and the water has evaporated (3-4 minutes). Remove from heat, and season lightly with salt and pepper.

2. Heat a heavy pan over medium-high heat. Spread the beans on one tortilla, and place it tortilla-side-down in the pan. Sprinkle with about half of the cheese, then the cooked kale, topped with the remaining cheese and tortilla.
Cook until the bottom tortilla is golden and crispy, then flip, and cook until both tortillas are golden and crispy and the cheese is fully melted.

3. Remove from the heat, cool for 30 seconds, then cut and eat!

Related post on The Kitchen Paper: White Cheddar & Peas Macaroni & Cheese Quesadilla