Vegetarian Quesadillas with Guacamole

Quesadillas are a great quick meal. You can mix them up with almost anything, and leftover vegetable filling can also go into another dish. This recipe takes about 20 minutes, and tastes great with fresh summer veggies. The vegetables can be sauteed more or less, depending on how crunchy you like your veggies. The times listed below should give you soft onions and mushrooms, with slightly crunchy peppers. Add peppers before mushrooms and cook for several minutes for softer peppers.

Vegetarian Quesadillas

• 1 tortilla
• 1 bell pepper, your favorite color, diced
  
• 1/2 onion, diced
  
• 1 handful mushrooms, diced
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• pinch cayenne pepper (more/less to taste)
• pinch red pepper flakes (omit to avoid spicyness)
• pinch chili powder/ground chipotle (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Add onions and stir occasionally to keep from burning.
2. Cook until onions begin to soften, and add peppers and mushrooms. Cook until soft, another 5-8 minutes. Continue to stir occasionally.
   
3. Add spices, and let cook in, stirring, for another 1-2 minutes.
4. When vegetables are soft, remove pan from heat. While burner is still hot, toss tortilla on the burner to char lightly. Let one side sit on burner for a few seconds, then flip using tongs, a fork, or your finger (be careful not to touch the hot burner!)
5. Fill tortilla with sauteed veggies, and top with guacamole (recipe below.)

Guacamole (1-2 servings)

• 1 ripe avocado*
• 1/2 medium tomato, diced (optional)
  
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• pinch cayenne pepper
• pinch chipotle power
  
• pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• salt and pepper to taste

*A ripe avocado will be soft, but not mushy. When squeezed with the skin on, it should give a little under your fingers. It should be easy to mash with a fork.

1. Mash avocado using a fork or potato smasher. Leave chunks, or mash until smooth, depending on your preference.
2. Add spices and lime juice, and mix.
3. Add tomato and mix.

Handy trick: to keep avocado or guacamole from oxidizing, leave the avocado pit with the leftovers.

Enjoy!