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A Farmer's Market Find: Spinach and Mushroom Quesadilla

A Farmer's Market Find: Spinach and Mushroom Quesadilla

Prep Time 5 minutes Cook Time 8 minutes

When spring rolls around, there's so much to choose from at the farmer's market. It's also a time where I can expose my family to fresh healthy foods and teach my child about where food comes from. Last week when we were at our local market my daughter became so enthralled by the mushroom stand and talked endlessly to the farmer about how mushrooms were grown. I then had a genius moment and gave an assignment and five dollars to get ingredients for a quesadilla. It could be created with whatever she wanted. When she returned she had a garlic bulb that a farmer gave her for free, fresh baby spinach, and a bag of - you guessed it - mushrooms. I actually wasn't sure she was going to eat a quesadilla filled with that many vegetables, but to my surprised she was not only proud of her creation - she licked the plate clean.

Farmer's markets are not only a way to spend time together while getting fresh groceries but a way to teach the next generation about healthy foods while creating a relationship with our local farmers. If you're brave enough to allow your kids to figure out dinner, give them a little change and ask them to find ingredients for a meal. It doesn't have to be a quesadilla, I just picked that because it was simple for her to understand. Maybe next time I'll ask her to find ingredients for lasagna.

Earthy mushrooms and bright garlicky spinach combine to create a cheesy meal that is packed with nutritious ingredients in this delicious quesadilla.

by Meredith Steele

What you'll need

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • 2 to 3 cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/4 cup packed baby spinach
  • 2 whole grain or whole wheat tortillas
  • 1/3 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
  • Salsa, if desired

How to make it

  1. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and spinach and saute until the mushrooms are golden and the spinach has wilted. Add a pinch of salt to season. Remove to a plate.
  2. Place 1 tortilla in the same heated pan. Sprinkle half of the cheese on the tortilla evenly; add spinach and mushrooms. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on spinach and mushrooms and place the remaining tortilla on top. 
  3. Using a spatula, flip the quesadilla and continue to cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes until the bottom tortilla is golden and crisp. Transfer to a plate and slice. Serve with salsa, if desired.

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