Veg*n Cooking and Other Random Musings: Smashed Yam, Black Bean and Spinach Quesadillas

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Smashed Yam, Black Bean and Spinach Quesadillas

I’m not sure why I have never come up with this combination to this point as I love Mexican inspired food, sweet potatoes/yams, beans, and quesadillas. But alas, here it is! This was a wonderful dinner, both Brett and Jennifer approved, and surprisingly healthy for the sheer size and amount of flavor of the quesadillas.
Note: I use organic jewel yams during the winter as they are tasty and always available at my local grocery store, during the summer I use sweet potatoes or whatever kind of yams are available at the farmer’s market. I understand these two terms are used pretty interchangeably in the US and either can be used in any of these recipes. I think there are differences in what the terms refer to elsewhere, but for the purposes of my blog, I am referring to brownish-red tubers with the orange insides.

And now presenting the Smashed Yam, Black Bean and Spinach Quesadilla with Simple Guacamole.
















Smashed Yam and Black Bean Quesadilla

1 large yam/sweet potato, baked and mashed
1-2 cups cooked black beans
1 cup frozen sweet corn
1/2 red bell pepper, roasted
1 9 oz. bag baby spinach
1/4 cup veggie broth
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, minced
cumin (to taste)
chili powder (to taste)
Mexican oregano (to taste)
cayenne (to taste)
salt (to taste)

1 tsp coconut oil per quesadilla
tortillas
simple guacamole
salsa

Bake yam/sweet potato and mash.

Heat a couple tbsp of water in a skillet and add garlic, cooking until soft. Add beans, corn and spices and heat through. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, heat veggie broth in a small pan and add spinach in batches, cooking until soft.

Heat coconut oil in a large skillet.

Layer mashed sweet potatoes and cooked veggie/bean mixture into warmed tortillas.

Place in skillet and cook on each side until golden brown, checking often to avoid burnage.

Top with salsa and simple guacamole.

‘Til next time!

16 comments:

Lindsay (Happy Herbivore) said...

you know how much i like sweet potatoes and guac. and you didn't invite me over? I thought we were buddies! :(

Anonymous said...

Wow! That's an amazing combination of yumminess!!

Lori- the Pleasantly Plump Vegan said...

i LOVE black beans and sweet potatoes together, and then guacamole on top! good god. this looks amazing!

Ruby Red said...

This is what you should show people when they wonder how vegans get along without cheese.

Wow. A sweet potato quesadilla sounds too awesome.

Alison Nicole said...

yummm! the guac on top makes me want to eat it even more!!

J said...

Happy Herbivore - Hahahaha! I would have needed more sweet potatoes, eh? Just wait til summer when I start throwing tomatillo in my guacamole. Nothing better, I'm telling you.

Romina - Thanks! And the whole thing only use 1 tsp of oil, not bad, not bad.

Pleasantly - It's a great combination. Thanks so much!

Ruby Red - Aw, that's very nice to say! We didn't miss cheese or even vegan cheese a bit. I think it would have ruined the dish.

Thanks, they were super tasty, and I bet they would even be something you could make in your dorm! :-)

Alison - Ha! Thanks. Guacamole is one of my favorite things.

Brett said...

Mine was bigger than my head and I ate the whole thing. These really rocked. I wasn't sure about the spinach at first, but it quickly grew on me and became apparent that these quesadillas would not have been the same without it. Jennifer set aside some sweet potatoes for muffins, but being unaware of this, I used it to make another quesadilla for lunch the next day. Oops! I'm sorry, but I'm also not sorry. In other words, I'm apologetic, but I don't regret eating them. How could I regret eating something so tasty!?!

J said...

Wet Blanket - Haha! Thanks for coming on and plugging the quesadilla. It really was good, I can't believe we hadn't thought of that combination before now!

At first, I thought it was sweet, but also thought that people would think you are biased, but then I remembered I have made it clear to my blog readers that you are a picky omni, and aren't afraid to tell me when something is 'weally bad'. :-)

It's hard to get too upset with you for digging on some sweet potatoes, but if you eat all my apples! !!!! Hehe!

Rural Vegan said...

That looks amazing, all covered in delicious guacamole goodness! I'm of the opinion that there can never be such a thing as "too much guacamole"!

ChocolateCoveredVegan said...

Mmmm my favorite burrito filling is quite similar-- sweet potato, refried beans, and spinach. I love how the saltiness of the beans compliment the sweetness of the sweet potato.

jess (of Get Sconed!) said...

Ooo, I like that you use coconut oil here.

Lindsay (Happy Herbivore) said...

i *love* artichokes! they are a 'weird' food. Everytime I eat them I wonder how hungry the farmer must have been to say, lets try to eat that weird looking thing with prickers. :D

but totally worth it! and so filling and easy to make (boil it and walk away - yes please!) I thought of you when I made the quinoa!

MeloMeals said...

That looks like the perfect quesadilla.

ChocolateCoveredVegan said...

Hey :o)

Steel-cut oats are larger in cut, not rolled into flat bits... they take a lot longer to cook, but a lot of people like the taste better. I like 'em both, but they do have diffrent tastes. Oh, and some people say that steel cut oats keep you fuller for a longer time.

Liz said...

That looks amazing! I love all that guacamole slathered on the top...

J said...

Rural Vegan - I second that one, guacamole has to be my most oft used condiment.

Chocolate Covered - I may have to try that out, it sounds delish! The flavors really work together well.

Jess - Thanks, I try to use it whenever I can.

Happy Herbivore - Haha, I have wondered that about many funky looking fruits and veggies, 'who would have thought this was edible'. I'm going to have to try fresh artichokes! Hopefully, we'll see them at the farmer's market in spring.

Aw, I love quinoa, I use it so much!

Melody - Thanks!

Chocolate Covered - Thanks for the info, I think I will pick some up when I run out of rolled oats and give them a try.

Liz - Thanks! It's hard to resist the guacamole.