Color Your Basket with Eggplant Quesadillas

You've probably seen this vegetable in the supermarket. Or you’ve spotted it on the menu at your favorite Italian restaurant in the form of breaded and deep fried eggplant parmesan. Well, did you know that there are many different ways you can eat eggplant? You can grill them and eat them as a side item, include them with your favorite stir-fry blend or use them as a pizza crust. The possibilities are endless! One of our favorite ways to prepare eggplants is by grilling them with some olive oil, salt and pepper.

The great thing about eggplants is they can be used as a meat alternative in any recipe because of their meaty texture when cooked. They have a very mild, but earthy flavor that combines well with most flavor profiles. This vegetarian quesadilla recipe utilizes the meaty texture of this vegetable and acts as a great meat substitute. You also get all of the wonderful health benefits associated with eggplants as well!

Did you know that eggplants are great for a heart healthy diet too? They are a good source of fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and other important phytonutrients which help promote heart health. The purple hue that you associate with eggplants comes from the anthocyanin content which is a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants are those compounds that go around removing harmful oxygen particles, or free radicals, in the body. Eggplants are actually ranked within the top 10 vegetables with the ability to absorb these dangerous molecules! This vegetable also contains a compound called Nasunin which is another anthocyanin associated with the deep purple hue. This compound is considered cardioprotective, but it does not lose its power after cooking. All of these qualities combined make eggplants a wonderful addition to any heart healthy diet! One cup (a serving) of eggplant provides 20 calories and 2.5 grams of fiber! We don’t know about you, but only 20 calories for a full cup of eggplants is incredible! You could eat 2 cups for ONLY 40 calories and you get 5 GRAMS of fiber!! That’s a hearty portion size for very little calories!

Erin’s Adobo Eggplant Quesadillas

Adapted from the Easy Vegetarian Kitchen by Erin Alderson

Ingredients:

Adobo Seasoning

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

½ tablespoon onion powder

½ tablespoon Mexican oregano

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon chipotle powder

½ teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon brown sugar

pinch of salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

Eggplant

2 small eggplant, sliced into ¼ inch pieces

olive oil, for drizzling

1 ½ - 2 cups shredded Jack cheese

handful of cilantro

lime slices, for serving

4 whole grain tortillas

Instructions

1) In a small bowl, whisk together all the seasoning ingredients.

2) Heat a grill pan to medium heat. Set the eggplant slices on a large plate and drizzle of olive, salt and pepper. Place eggplant on the grill, and cook for about 2 minutes per side, until dark grill marks form. Remove from the grill and generously brush both sides of the eggplant with the adobo paste mixture.

3) Assemble quesadillas with the cheese, 3-4 eggplant slices and cilantro. Fold the tortilla over the toppings and grill each side of the quesadilla until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are charred on the outside (about 3 minutes per side). Press down with a spatula to help them along.

4) Serve with extra adobo paste, lime slices and fresh cilantro