Apricot Salsa Quesadillas

So I came home from school early today, and it was lunch time plus I’d woken up at 6 to write some super scary biology essay about antibiotic resistant bacteria (Jeez you guys, superbugs are cray. Promise me you won’t misuse or overuse antibiotics, ‘kay?) so I was insanely hungry.

Now usually, for lunch I go for something with eggs because I want some protein to hold me over for the next few hours, but today I really wasn’t feeling it. That’s when I spied some mini tortillas in the fridge.

I was initially going to make some kind of flat bread type thing. Like chop up some basil and tomatoes and throw it on there with cheese, then shove it under the grill. Then I realised if I just put some bell pepper in there, it would start getting Mexicany, and a memory of quesadillas (from like 2 years ago, literally.) popped into my head and I decided to go with it.

I’d never made a quesadilla before this.

I’d never read a quesadilla recipe (not that I can remember anyway)

I don’t even think if I’ve even pinned a picture of a quesadilla (which also made styling this kind of a shot in the dark)

and only ever had them a handful of times, but I just remember them being TOTALLY ACE and that was enough to make me want one right then + there.

I just went with the flow of things, using the basic flavour profile that I imagine they had: tomatoes, bell pepper, Mexican spices, onion and some lime juice (I was considering adding apple cider vinegar, but spied the half lime on the counter and thought it was more appropriate).

Then

another memory came up.

You know how Whole Foods is like a food sample Mecca? Yeah, well one time, they had this pineapple salsa sample that was utterly fab (great story Izy..great story..).

We didn’t have pineapple

buttttt

we did have fresh apricots! The acidity/sweetness of which I think of as kind of similar to pineapple. SO IN IT WENT.

Cheese was a must, of course

so that got sprinkled onto the tortilla that I dry fried in the skillet

and thus, I made a quesadilla.

So this is why, when you read this recipe, it’s probably not anywhere like a traditional quesadilla (I mean, I’ve googled them now, and… I cooked the salsa.. :/ soo… ).

and I’m sorry if that harms your quesadilla loving hearts (seriously, the instagram of this was basically as popular as my chocolate chip cookie one, so I now think of everyone as quesadilla lovers) but I literally don’t care because it was so good that I think all quesadillas from now on should contain fruity, cooked salsa.

(p.s. If you did see the instagram picture of it, I HOPE YOU LIKED THE PUN. I laughed at it for about 10 minutes. Alone.)

(p.p.s the chocolate chip cookie recipe is also coming this week)

Notes

- Instead of using an apricot, try out other fruits like 1/2 a peach, 1/4 cup diced strawberries or 1/4 cup diced pineapple, orrrr you can leave the fruit out.
- I served my quesadilla with sour cream and some chopped cilantro + basil + some lime zest
- You can totally add cayenne, tabasco, sriracha or chili pepper to the cooked salsa
- Okay, I’ve made the name plural ‘Quesadillas’ but this makes one quesadilla, but it’s pretty simple to just double the recipe and make multiples if you want.

Print

Apricot Salsa Quesadillas

2-3 tomatoes (depending on size)

1 fresh apricot, de-stoned (see notes)

1/2 green bell pepper

1 shallot

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

juice and zest of 1/2 a lime

3 tbsp grated Red Leicester or Cheddar Cheese (or some other cheese)

2 small tortillas

Peel, halve and finely slice the shallot.

Roughly chop up the tomatoes, bell pepper and apricot together to make a salsa.

Fry this in a small skillet with a little oil, along with the sliced shallot, cinnamon, paprika, lime zest and juice. Cook over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the shallot is slightly translucent.

If you're going to use this skillet to heat the tortilla, then remove the vegetable mixture to a plate and set aside, then clean and dry the skillet. Or, if you're just going to use a different skillet, just set the veg mixture aside.

Either way, heat a clean, dry skillet and place one tortilla into it. Sprinkle the cheese over the surface of the tortilla and heat on medium-low until the cheese melts and the underside of the tortilla is golden-brown. Quickly spoon the vegetable mixture over the cheesy tortilla, top with the second tortilla and carefully flip the whole thing over using a spatula. Cook until the underside of this second tortilla is golden brown.

Remove from the skillet and cut into wedges.

I haven’t done too much today. I’ve been working on making an advent calendar (Bobby’s never had one) and it’s taking longer than expected. I want to start reading a new book, but I don’t have anything around that I’ve been able to get into.

Instead of reading, I decided to try a twist on the bread that I’ve made a few times – I added oatmeal! I used half oatmeal, half flour, but it would work with all flour as well.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Bread Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 teaspoons melted butter
• 2.5 – 3 cups of whole wheat flour/oatmeal mix
• Corn starch or nonstick cooking spray

Directions

1. Prepare the yeast: heat up the water (about 120F – as hot as you can touch) and mix with the yeast until there are no lumps. Add 1 teaspoon of honey, mix, and let sit for a minute or two.
2. Add the butter, milk, sugar, and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix gently until the color is consistent.
3. Add two cups of flour/oatmeal mix and stir with a spoon. Add more flour/oatmeal until the dough is dry enough that it leaves a little bit of flour on the sides of the bowl.
4. Put some flour between your hands and rub them over a clean area of the counter. This is for kneading.
5. Knead the dough for 10 minutes. Squeeze it back and forth between your hands and mash it on the floured counter. Shape into a ball.
6. Spray the inside of a bowl with nonstick cooking spray or dust with corn starch. Place the ball of dough inside, put a towel overtop, and keep in a warm place (near a lamp or on the warming area of a stove both work well) for about an hour. The dough should rise.
7. Take the dough and punch/shape it into a rectangular, then roll it up – it should be about the size and shape of a bread pan. This is easily done in the same area that you did the kneading; you may even want to dust some more flour on the ball before you start shaping.
8. Put the dough back in the bowl (or in a bread pan coated with cooking spray), cover with a towel again, and return to the warming area for another hour.
9. Preheat the oven to 400F. Bake the roll in the bread pan or on a baking sheet sprayed with the cooking spray for 30 minutes. Remove from pan to cool.
10. Enjoy!

This whole wheat oatmeal bread is delicious warm, straight from the oven, with a pat of butter. It also goes well with the apple dip I posted earlier. You can store the loaf in a Ziploc bag to preserve freshness. Be sure to put it in the fridge after a day or so – otherwise it will get moldy. Whole wheat bread goes moldy quickly because it has a lot of nutrients, which mold likes. Mold can tell the difference between homemade and processed, unlike people.

Be creative – you can use different flours and add flavors (cinnamon, raisins, dates, etc…) to fit the occasion.

Here is an excellent website for a kneading description: Kneading e-How.

While I was letting the dough rise, I made some strawberry-banana jello with chopped orange pieces. I also cleaned up the mess I’d made in the kitchen.

In Italy, Le Pescerie (Fish Shops) are only open in the morning. We’ve been wanting to make fish, but haven’t been able to get up early enough.

Instead, tonight I made my very own version of Italian ratatouille (currently Bobby’s favorite Disney movie). This dish is filling enough to be the main course, and it’s loaded with nutrients. I used tomatoes, zucchini, and radicchio, but some people use eggplant instead of radicchio. I taught myself how to make ratatouille through trial and error. The key is to have equal parts of each vegetable.

Bobby and both had seconds and we finished it up (probably could have eaten more); as an appetizer you could probably feed three with this recipe.

Italian Ratatouille Recipe | How to Make Ratatouille

Ingredients (for 2 main dish servings or 3 appetizers)

• 3 tomatoes
• 1 zucchini
• 1 smallish radicchio
• Several garlic cloves, finely chopped OR a bit of finely chopped onion
• Salt & pepper
• Oregano
• Olive oil (optional)
• Grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Roughly chop the vegetables. I halved the zucchini, then sliced it.
2. Make layers in a large pot – the order doesn’t particularly matter, but I like to start with the tomatoes. After the first layer of tomatoes, sprinkle some salt, pepper, and oregano, as well as some of the garlic cloves OR onion. Make another layer of radicchio, add more salt, pepper, oregano, and onion. Repeat for the zucchini. Then continue with more tomatoes. I was able to have two layers of each veggie.
3. Add about 2 cups of water.
4. Heat on very low heat for about 1.5 hours.
5. Serve in bowls – you may want to let it cool for 5 – 10 minutes; it gets quite hot.
6. Sprinkle with olive oil OR grated cheese (optional).

Bobby liked this Italian ratatouille with olive oil and I liked it with parmesan cheese.

This is a dinner salad; it’s not intended to be dessert… But feel free to eat it for whatever course you think it’s right. I bought a big crate of strawberries at Marina on Sunday, and I needed a salad to use them in. I also had oranges, and a daikon radish. The result is this… And it’s pretty darn good if I say so myself. I used fresh lemons and the effect is really incredible.

This probably serves 6 people – it’s a pretty big batch.

Strawberry Salad

Ingredients
dressing
zest of 2 lemons
juice of 2 lemons
2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped chives
2 teaspoons sugar
salad
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
2 oranges
1/2 cup sliced daikon radish
3 scallions, sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper, to taste
1 head of leaf lettuce, roughly chopped

Directions
1. For the dressing: Zest the lemons. Soak the zest in hot water for 2-3 minutes. Mix together the lemon juice, garlic, vinegar, chives, and sugar. Drain the zest and mix that in too.
2. Mix together the strawberries, oranges, radish, and scallions. Add the sugar, salt, and pepper and let sit for 5 minutes. Add half of the lettuce and all of the dressing. Mix well. Then add the rest of the lettuce and mix again.
3. Serve with fresh toasted whole wheat bread.

This is a superb summer salad and perfect for a barbecue. Grill up some veggie burgers and teriyaki tofu and you’ll have yourself a picnic.

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Lunch Idea

• Tuna salad with whole wheat bread
• Sliced green apple

Simple tuna salad recipe (makes 2 servings):

• 1 can of tuna
• 1/2 carrot, shredded
• 1/2 small bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup full fat Greek yogurt
• lemon juice
• mustard
• salt & pepper

It was really good.  You can mix up the measurements to make it how you like it.  I like mine with lots of veggies.  Celery would have been perfect but I didn’t have any!

Snack Idea

• “Lentil Pea Chips” (link has nutritional info) that we got at 99 Ranch (Chinese grocery store).  Bobby picked them up on our last trip and they ended up being a good find!  The brand is called “Dandy’s Brand” if you’re interested. The whole bag has just 2.75 servings total – it’s a huge bag but the chips are very light.

Dinner Idea

• Egg white stirfry with organic ketchup: broccoli, okra, egg whites (1 cup), cabbage, salsa, onion, and a cucumber (random).  I used a bit of sesame oil too.

Dessert Idea

• Full-fat TJ’s Greek yogurt (a little less than a cup)
• Raisins (almost 1/2 cup?)

 I’ve been digging the sandwiches lately. Nature’s Pride (I keep wanting to call them Nature’s Path, but that is a different company that was kind enough to send me goodies!)sent me a bunch of bread the other week and I’ve been dutifully eating it up. (I say “dutifully” as though it’s a chore; it is not! I love this bread.)

I discovered this fantastic lunch sandwich that is filling and probably the most delicious sandwich I have ever eaten. It is so simple and yum:

• whole wheat bun (ideally from Nature’s Pride)
• 1 laughing cow spreadable swiss cheese
• tomato slices
• lots of lettuce

I have had 6 of them I think and I am still not sick of the combo! I only have one more whole wheat bun left and that’s for tomorrow (Bobby had one of the 8 original buns for a PB sammy but then I told him to eat the white buns since I don’t like those as much and he has been polishing those off instead).

The other thing I have been making white the big rolly buns is my breakfast. I spread a bun with peanut butter and top it with coconut flakes.

How can you not love this? I make breakfast and lunch at the same time (in the morning before work), then I take my breakfast over to the couch and savor it before I leave for work. This big white poofy carb is the perfect brain food to get me through the day. I do love white carbs sometimes. Totally necessary.

Exercise of the day (free again): Exercise TV’s 6-Round Slimdown with Stephanie Vitorino. It’s a 40-minute strength/cardio/abs workout consisting of 6 5-minute rounds that each incorporate strength, cardio, and abs. You do need weights, which I don’t have. You’re also supposed to have a medicine ball, but I used a circular glass candle holder thing and it worked for me. I got pretty sweaty and I was only slightly terrified that I would hurt myself the the candle holder. The only odd thing is that some “5-minute” rounds are 3 minutes; others are 6-7 minutes. But it didn’t bug me.

Baked Oatmeal

After reading about so many people making baked oatmeal, I thought I should try it. I have oatmeal for nearly every breakfast, and there are so many different ways to prepare it. I want to try as many different options as I can. This recipe is inspired by Kath, but I’ve made a lot of changes and I’ve also veganized it.

Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1 cup soymilk
1/2 cup applesauce
other sweetener – sugar, honey, etc… (optional)
1 banana, sliced
brown sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Mix together the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and sweetener, if using. Add the water, soymilk, and applesauce. Mix well.
3. Spray two 8-inch round baking tins with nonstick cooking spray, or line them with parchment paper. Pour half of the oats mixture into each. Top with sliced bananas.

4. Bake at 375F for 30 minutes. If you want to add some sweetness, sprinkle some brown sugar on top of the oatmeal and turn it to broil for the last 5 minutes.
5. Eat! These are great with peanut butter, margarine, syrup, agave nectar, soy yogurt, or fresh fruit. You can cut them up and freeze them for a quick breakfast.

Nutrition info – for 4 servings: 208 calories, 5 grams fiber, 7.5 grams protein
Nutrition info – for 6 servings: 138 calories, 3.3 grams fiber, 5 grams protein

Drizzled with raw honey (this stuff is amazing, got it @ Safeway):