Cheddar-Jalapeño Quesadilla Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

This was one where D prepped everything for me, and I had to assemble (and make a quesadilla) when I got home.  It was was pretty easy to assemble, and considering I lived on quesadillas when I was single, I had no problem with that.

As barely any meal in our house is vegetarian, this one was no different.  Moreso because we had a chicken leg in the fridge so I pulled the meat off the leg.  Also because I love avocados, I added 1/4 of one to my portion (I only made a portion).

I really liked it and would have again.

Cheddar-Jalapeño Quesadilla Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

Photo by ALB

This fresh take on the traditional taco salad works well as a vegetarian main course.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup Dijon-Lemon Vinaigrette (see below)
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice

Quesadillas:
1 (15-ounce) can black beans (undrained)
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
3 to 4 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeno peppers
Cooking spray

Remaining ingredients:
6 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
2 cups chopped tomato
1 cup bottled salsa
1/2 cup chopped onion (didn't use)
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
(Added avocado and chicken)

Preparation
To prepare vinaigrette, combine first 3 ingredients; stir with a whisk. Set aside.

To prepare the quesadillas, drain beans through a sieve over a bowl, reserving 1 tablespoon bean liquid; discard remaining liquid. Combine 1/2 cup beans and 1 tablespoon reserved bean liquid in a small bowl; mash with a fork. Reserve remaining beans. Spread bean mixture evenly over 4 tortillas. Sprinkle each with 1/4 cup cheese and about 1 tablespoon jalapeño; top with remaining tortillas.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Cook quesadillas for 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove the quesadillas from the pan, and cut each into 4 wedges. Combine vinaigrette with lettuce, and toss well. Arrange 1 1/2 cups lettuce mixture on each of 4 plates. For each serving, spoon 3 tablespoons reserved beans over lettuce mixture, and place 1/2 cup tomato over the beans. Top each serving with 1/4 cup salsa, 2 tablespoons chopped onion, and 1 tablespoon sour cream. Serve each with 4 quesadilla wedges.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 389; Calories from fat: 29%; Fat: 12.4g; Saturated fat: 4.9g; Monounsaturated fat: 4.2g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.5g; Protein: 20.2g; Carbohydrate: 53.9g; Fiber: 8.5g; Cholesterol: 25mg; Iron: 3.9mg; Sodium: 985mg; Calcium: 424m

Cooking Light JUNE 2001


Dijon-Lemon Vinaigrette

This is the base for our other vinaigrettes, but it also tastes great on its own. Refrigerated, the vinaigrette keeps for about a week.

Yield: 2/3 cup (serving size: 1 tablespoon)

Ingredients
3 tablespoons vegetable broth or water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a jar; cover tightly, and shake vigorously. Store in refrigerator.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 25; Calories from fat: 86%; Fat: 2.4g; Saturated fat: 0.3g; Monounsaturated fat: 1.7g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.2g; Protein: 0.1g; Carbohydrate: 1g; Fiber: 0.0g; Cholesterol: 0.0mg; Iron: 0.1mg; Sodium: 93mg; Calcium: 3mg

Cooking Light JUNE 2001