Lazy Superbowl Sunday: Quesadillas

If you ask any of my close friends, they'll tell you how much I love serving them food. I don't know if it was my Mexican upbringing or I'm just a hungry hippo, but I love eating with my friends just as much as I love cooking for them.

Today is the Superbowl, and even though I'm not the biggest football fan, (gasp), I'll sit down to watch a game with a great meal & friendly company any day.

Boston had snow falling all day long today, and as if Sundays didn't make me lazy enough, the cold wintry weather has me cuddled up by the heater watching Netflix. (ahem, I mean, doing homework.)

I remember the quesadillas that my mom would make me growing up. They're quick, easy, delicious, and endlessly versatile.

Before I abandoned my meat-eating ways, cheese was pretty much the reason I lived. Fortunately, there are plenty of dairy-free (hormone-free, toxin-free, preservative-free, puss-free, etc.) alternatives that melt and slice just like cheese & are just as ooey gooey and satisfying. No more guilt, no more nastiness. Yay.

I used several combinations of cheese in this recipe, but feel free to make whatever you like. These days, the vegan cheese alternatives are practically endless. Go crazy!

As far as the game goes, well...I have to say I was going for San Francisco originally because I have a sister attending USF. Then we asked the one person in our family that would have a more concrete idea on who would win: my little brother. "Raven's no question" was his response. We'll see!

Do you have a favorite team playing today? Who do you think will win?

Simply Cheesy Quesadillas

3 Whole Wheat Tortillas
Refried Beans (black or pinto, whichever you prefer)
Daiya Jalapeño-Garlic havarti cheese (my absolute favorite!)
Vegan Cheddar slices*
Vegan Mozzarella cheese shreds*
(*Galaxy Nutritional Foods makes great versions of both!)
Spinach, sunflower sprouts, or other greens, if preferred








Warm your tortilla on a dry skillet or pan. Once you have some heat going, place the tortilla on a plate and arrange the cheese on the tortilla. Fold the tortilla in half and bring it back to the pan to melt the cheese. Repeat with the other tortillas using whatever combinations of cheese and beans that you wish.

Once you're done preparing your quesadillas, you can dress them up with avocado slices, salsa, and some raw greens.

Note* I freaking LOVE avocado. If I could afford to have an avocado a day, I would. It is, however, a summer fruit, and its always better to eat foods when they're in their right season. Avocados are light and fresh, so I wouldn't blame my southern friends who eat them at this time of year since its bright and sunny back home. I'm in the dead of winter over here on the east coast though, so I'll stick to my primal instincts and keep it simple.