Dinner for One: Craving Quesadillas

que·sa·dil·la |ˌkāsəˈdēyə| noun, a tortilla filled with cheese and heated. ORIGIN, Spanish.



Here is a super easy and deliciously light meal to make when you are on your own. Even the dictionary defines it simply so you really can't go wrong (see above). I made chicken quesadillas with sauteed zucchini, yellow squash and shallots. I added some slices of a soft sheep's milk cheese, put in between two tortillas (I used Rudi's Bakery spelt tortillas), heated it just to melt the cheese in a cast iron skillet (turning once to get both sides, and presto! Dinner in under 30 minutes. I am also a big fan of salsa on my quesadilla but you don't necessarily have to use it. They are good either way.

This is a great way to use up any "leftovers" you may have in the fridge. What I like to do a lot is get a couple of bone-in chicken breasts, roast them at 375°F, with a little salt, pepper, olive oil and thyme for about 40-45 minutes and I have chicken to use over several days of meals. Quesadillas are one thing to do with the chicken , but you can also make any kind of chicken salad, chicken enchiladas, chicken wraps....the list is endless.

By the way, Rudi's Bakery makes spelt bread, spelt english muffins and spelt tortillas which seem to work for some folks who are wheat sensitive like myself. I know you can find them at Whole Foods and other Natural Food Stores throughout the country. Spelt has a nuttier flavor than wheat, it's actually a "cousin" to wheat but with a wider "spectrum of nutrients compared to many of its more inbred cousins in the wheat family. It can be used in many of the same ways as wheat." (this according to an article at a website devoted to healthier living called The World's Healthiest Foods ).