Hi there friends. Sorry for my short disappearance from the blog; my mom came to Chicago over Thanksgiving and decided not to blog and rather spend quality time with her. I’ve also been having some weird medical issues lately which have been incredibly frustrating! So I’m planning on flying back to Minnesota for a few weeks to get it all figured out.
In the meantime, I wanted to share a few pictures of the past weekend activities.
I made a dutch caramel honeycrisp apple pie. It was so delightful and the all butter crust was my favorite. I used a mixture of vodka and water this time! I know, I know… I should post the recipe!
Tony refinished this gorgeous cabinet for me. I got the idea (and color!) off of Pinterest and we found the cabinet at a resale store for only $35 dollars! We’ll be putting a custom cutting board on top which I’ll have to special order but I’m soooo excited to use it. Lord knows I need extra kitchen storage.
My mom and I went to Molly’s Cupcakes and tried a couple. We picked a chocolate with chocolate frosting and Reese’s Pieces and also a Peanut butter filled pretzel cupcake with caramel mousse, malted buttercream and a candied pretzel. That one was my absolute favorite!
Look how glorious it was!
Yesterday morning, we stopped at Ann Sather’s for breakfast. Apparently they are known for their cinnamon rolls, so of course my Mom and I tried one. Seriously might have been one of the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had. They were super soft and the frosting was incredible and not overly sweet.
Anyway, I bet you’re ready for that cheesy quesadilla now. Me too! Today I’m sharing this quick and simple vegetarian recipe for all of my veggie lovers out there!
I accidentally purchased an entire bag of avocados and really wanted to use them up before they became too ripe so I decided to make some quesadillas with whatever else I had leftover in my fridge. So here we are with basically the easiest quesadillas in the world.
The great thing about these quesadillas is that you can choose any kind of bell pepper you’d like. I’m a huge fan of orange so that was my choice, but it’s entirely up to you. There are several ways to roast bell peppers and I love this tutorial which explains the different methods. If you don’t have time to roast your own, you can buy canned roasted bell peppers from your local grocer. I explain my method in the directions, but wanted you to know that there are different ways!
Also feel free to mix up your cheese choice or perhaps even add a little dash of hot sauce to it. If you’re looking for a little more flavor, I love adding chopped, cooked turkey bacon. The creamy and salty contrast is addicting.
One last thing! I used Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Tortillas
 which are by far my favorite and the nutritional information below reflects that; the tortillas always crisp up so nicely! If you’re looking to go a little bit lighter, There are also yummy low carb tortillas if you’re looking to go a little bit lighter.
By the way, if you know someone who LOVES quesadillas, well then you might as well get them this nifty Quesadilla Maker
. No matter how you do it, I know you’re going to love these.
To keep up to date with posts and behind the scenes info on Ambitious Kitchen,  follow me on BlogLovin’, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. xo!
More healthy vegetarian lunch recipes to try:
Smashed Chickpea Avocado Salad Sandwich with Cranberries + Lemon
Vegetarian Calabacitas Quesadillas
Fiesta Mango Black Bean Quinoa Salad
Jalapeño Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos with Avocado-Lime Crema
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Smashed Avocado, Roasted Bell Pepper & Pepper Jack Quesadillas
Ingredients
- 2 sprouted grain tortillas (I like the Ezekiel brand)
- 4 oz pepper jack cheese, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 avocado, mashed
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss bell peppers and onions in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place under broiler for 10-15 minutes until peppers and onions start to char. Alternatively you can saute them with a little bit of oil in a medium skillet.
- Spray skillet or griddle generously with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat. Lay tortilla in the skillet.
- Add pepper jack slices on the bottom, then peppers and onions. Spread smashed avocado over the second tortilla then place (avocado side facing down) on the cheese and pepper mixture.
- Once the tortilla is golden brown on the first side, flip the quesadilla over to the other side and cook until the second is golden.
- Place on cutting board, then use a pizza cutter or large knife to cut into 6 triangles. Serves 2.
Nutrition
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These are perfect for lunch! They are quick, easy, and delicious! I shredded the cheese instead because I struggle slicing cheese with a knife. Next time I hope to add some mushrooms!
Simple, easy, tasty!
Absolutely!
I am running out of ways to say how delicious all of these recipes are! Easy, minimal clean up, quick dinner/lunch!
I’m so glad you loved these!
I loved these quesadillas! I ended up leaving out the avocado, combining them with fresh salsa and dipping the quesadillas in it. I always forget how amazing roasted bell peppers are, thanks for the reminder!
wow those look amazing! and you’re right. sometimes you just need to unplug and spend quality time with those you love
These look soooo yummy! Great for any time of year!
I love that you are so creative with cooking and so healthy cautious. I am also half PR like you . I go every yr. They have some good coffee. In Aguada there is a wonderful Barista . He makes the creamest coffee ever. I could drink that all day long. Keep up the great recipe creations .
I will have to try sprouted grain tortillas, I’m very intrigued! Hope you feel better soon 🙂
I hope you’re feeling better soon. Glad you got some mom-daughter time.
It is so much fun to see you visiting all of my favorite bakeries. Molly’s has the best cupcakes!! Keep sharing your Chicago culinary explorations – I am loving it 🙂
This looks way too good girl.
I used to live ONE BLOCK away from an Ann Sather’s. Dangerous 🙂 thanks for the trip down memory lane!