With our busy schedules during the summer we barley have enough time to get all our tasks done in a day let alone prepare a delicious meal with nutritional benefits. It’s so simple to pop a pizza in the oven and call it a meal. Not anymore! Try this simple recipe tonight for dinner.
Beat the Summer Heat
During the summer it’s hot and it drains all our energy. We can all relate to this and when we get home we just want to kick off our shoes and relax in the cool. Beat the heat this summer with a quick, easy and delicious meal ready in a snap! Everyone at the dinner table will be saying “yum”. You won’t have to feel guilty for putting less time into it because it will be packed with a lot of beneficial vitamins and nutrients.
Who says you have to spend hours and a lot of money to cook up a healthy meal? With this 10-minute green gazpacho and smoke quesadilla you’ll forget you’re at home and not a restaurant.
What You’ll Need
- ½ cup a fresh sour cream
- 1 whole English cucumber chopped finely
- 1 small clove of garlic grated finely
- 1 whole scallion sliced very thinly
- Sea salt
- 1 whole green tomato chopped small
- 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 12-15 ounce can of cannellini beans
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 8-10 inch tortillas (flour)
- 6-8 slices of smoked gouda cheese
- For serving you’ll need sliced pickled jalapenos
Directions
Preheat the broiler with the rack sitting more than 4 inches away from the source of heat.
Put 1/4 cup of the sour cream, 1/4 cup ice water mixed with ice cubes, the sliced cucumbers, garlic, scallion whites and a large pinch salt in a blender. Blend until mostly smooth, and then add the tomatoes. Blend until smooth, then remove the small cap on the lid of the blender and slowly drizzle in 1/4 cup of the oil while the blender is running. Then you will need to season with additional salt if needed. Place the soup in the freezer while you prepare the quesadillas.
Place the cannellini beans and a pinch black pepper in a bowl, and roughly mash with the back of a fork. Then you will need to place 2 of the tortillas on a baking sheet without letting them touch. Brush one side of the tortillas with some of the remaining olive oil. Flip, so the oiled side is directly on the baking sheet. Divide the mashed cannellini beans between the two tortillas and use a fork or your fingers to spread the mixture evenly on the tortillas, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Lay 3 pieces of the cheese on top of the beans on each tortilla. Top with the remaining 2 tortillas and brush the tops of the tortillas with the remaining oil.
Place the quesadilla under the broiler under they are perfectly golden brown. This shouldn’t take more than a minute or two. Use a spatula to flip the quesadillas and cook until the cheese is completely melted and the tortillas are crisp and lightly golden brown.
How to Serve
Pour the soup into a chilled bowl. Garnish the soup with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, scallions and freshly ground pepper. Arrange slices of the quesadillas around the bowl and serve with a side of pickled jalapenos. If you enjoy sour cream you can dollop some of the soup or on the quesadilla for another flavor choice. Enjoy!
Image Credit: istockphoto.com
