I am always trying to find interesting ways to get my kids to eat and enjoy their vegetables. Quesadillas are always a big hit in our house. They are easy to make, you can pack them with all kinds of veggies and they are the perfect size for little hands.
This time of year the Jersey farmers markets are full of farm fresh spinach. Spinach is a super-food that literally feeds the brain vital nutrients (specifically the B-vitamin folate), helps strengthen your immune system and promotes eye health. It can be eaten raw in a salad, but tastes even better sautéed into a tasty quesadilla!
This recipe is so simple and versatile…it would be delicious with any sautéed greens or cheese combo. Serve with salsa for a spicy snack or some tomato soup to make a complete meal.
Fresh Spinach Quesadillas
1 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
pinch of Kosher sat
12 oz. spinach leaves, washed and spun dry
2 10-inch whole wheat tortillas
1/2 cup grated reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese
Heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until golden. Stir in garlic, cumin and salt and sauté 2 minutes. Stir in spinach and reduce heat to medium low. Saute until spinach wilts.
Place 1 tortilla in skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Top with 1/2 spinach mixture, fold over and cook for 2 minutes per side, or until browned. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Slice into wedges; serve.
Hillary Irwin is a registered dietitian and the founder of Simply Beautiful Mom, a nutrition counseling and consulting practice based in New Jersey. In her practice, Hillary counsels children, adolescents and adults on many nutrition issues, with a focus on clean, balanced eating and weight management. She is an expert at teaching clients how to fit proper eating and healthful cooking into a frantic lifestyle, taking the busiest of the busy and teaching how simple changes can create fantastic results. Hillary holds a B.S in Nutritional Sciences with a concentration in Dietetics from Cornell University and a Masters Degree in Applied Anatomy and Physiology from Boston University. She is an active member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND; formerly the American Dietetic Association), the New Jersey Dietetic Association, and various Dietetic Practice Groups of the AND, including Nutrition Entrepreneurs, Sports Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition and Weight Management. Hillary lives in Westfield, New Jersey with her husband Greg, her two children (Oscar, 4 and Lola, 2) and their dog Willard. She loves food, traveling, cooking and spending time with her family. – See more at: http://www.jerseybites.com/the-team/#sthash.8Jn9WZnh.dpuf
