Mean Bean Quesadilla

Whenever I leave the house to run errands, especially if it involves a lot of pesky traffic and running around from one place to another, for some reason I come back famished. Maybe it’s the city drivers. Maybe it’s the eternal schlepping back and forth I have to do. Maybe it’s just being around so many people, but this hunter gatherer gets hungry and crabby! I need a snack, pronto, something that I can share with my better half and that won’t spoil my dinner. Of course, if it’s dinnertime, I will just make two, one for each of us, and load up on delicious toppings, salsas, and avocados with which to eat this simple flatbread quesadilla.

This flatbread recipe comes in handy on those days when I need a little protein boost and a lot of flavor without a lot of fanfare and work in the kitchen. Making your quesadillas with beans you cook yourself can save a lot of money and significantly reduce your grocery bill, too. A single can of cooked beans can sometimes cost more than a one pound bag of dried beans, which when cooked can keep an entire family in flatbread quesadillas for awhile.

If you do cook your own beans, you can control the amount of sodium you’re using, too. Many canned beans are ridiculously high in sodium. Instead, try flavoring your beans as they cook with a bay leaf, cloves of garlic, some cumin, dried chiles, an onion, or some oregano. Don’t salt the beans until they are tender and cooked through, however, because adding salt before then can prevent the beans from softening.

Once the beans are finished, strain them and put them in the food processor, puréeing them until smooth. This purée can be seasoned the way you like it, using spices, salt, hot sauce, garlic, broth, and olive oil, and stored in your refrigerator so you have everything you need (don’t forget the flatbread) to make these quick and easy quesadillas if you return home and you need a fast bite, weary from the world. Call it grouch control.

Amy at Flatout