Spinach and Mushroom Quesadillas

Spinach and Mushroom Quesadillas. Spinach and mushrooms go together just like cookies and milk — but are better for you! My Spinach and Mushroom Quesadillas certainly hit the spot for a quick weeknight dinner. Serve along with a big salad or bowl of my Hearty Vegetable Soup or Tomato Basil Soup and you’ve got a great meal. You can also serve these quesadillas as an appetizer with some salsa. Hope your kids will like these quesadillas so much that you’ll find a new way to get them to eat their spinach! And maybe you can entice them further by offering cookies and milk for dessert!

Pretty emerald-green fresh spinach, woody cremini and shiitake mushroom caps, and zesty garlic sauteed in some rich olive oil, spread over creamy shredded Monterey Jack cheese on a flour tortilla all come together as a satisfying crispy quesadilla. Just top with another flour tortilla and you’re on your way to a meal.

I like to use Whole Foods Market‘s prepared flour tortillas, but you can also make your own. (Nothing is better than a freshly made warm flour tortilla!) You can use whole wheat tortillas if you prefer.

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From the kitchen of A Food Lover’s Delight….

Spinach and Mushroom Quesadillas

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, stems removed, sliced thinly
8 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced thinly
5 oz. fresh spinach, rinsed if not pre-washed
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
8 flour tortillas, fajita-size (8 inches in diameter)

Method:

1. Warm olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium low heat.
2. Saute cremini and shiitake mushrooms together until cooked.
3. Add garlic and saute another minute or two.
4. Add the fresh spinach, stir to combine, cover the skillet with a lid, and remove from heat.
5. Sprinkle the shredded Monterey Jack cheese on four flour tortillas.
6. After about 3 minutes, remove the lid from the pan and stir the spinach and mushroom mixture until the spinach is wilted but still bright green.
7. Divide the spinach and mushroom mixture amongst the four tortillas over the cheese.
8. Place four tortillas on top of the spinach and mushroom mixture.
9. Cook each quesadilla on a flat griddle pan over medium low heat, flipping over at least once, until cheese is melted and tortillas are slightly browned.
10. Remove each quesadilla to a cutting board and cut into four pieces.
11. Serve!

Makes 4 quesadillas. Serve as an appetizer or a main dish along with soup or a salad.

Variations: Add sliced bell peppers or squash or diced tomatoes to the mushroom/spinach mixture. Omit the mushrooms if you are not a fan. Use goat cheese, mild cheddar, or feta if you prefer. Substitute whole wheat or even spinach tortillas for a different flavor. Cut back on the amount of cheese or omit it completely if you are watching your fat intake. Add chopped ham, diced cooked chicken, or crumbled cooked chorizo sausage to the quesadillas.

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