Healthy Quesadillas

Broccoli stems don't often make it into the steamer at our house. Usually, broccoli is a side dish, and I use the florets attached to the long thin stems, but the thicker trunk is too much bother to deal with and gets put back in the fridge.

On Saturday night I pulled it out, cooked it up with some spinach, and added it to quesadillas. What a great way to hide broccoli!

Remember, we need to eat the cabbage family (including broccoli) regularly in order to make healthy use of our body's estrogen. These quesadillas have the health benefits of broccoli without the taste.

My broccoli stems were not tough and woody, so I didn't have to peel them. When they were almost soft I added the spinach and let it all cook down. Finely chopped, the greens made a nice filling in the quesadillas along with sautéed mushrooms and tangy feta and cheddar.

Mexican oregano is different to the Mediterranean kind - it is from a different plant, and the dried flowers are used, not the leaves. Use whichever is in your pantry. You can also use any greens in place of the spinach - leftover cooked greens would make this a speedy supper dish.

Spinach and Mushroom Quesadillas
3/4 cup broccoli stems, peeled if necessary, and cut in 3/4" pieces
5 oz malabar or baby spinach
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 small clove garlic, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
1/4 cup crumbled feta
1/2 cup grated cheddar
4 flour tortillas

Bring an inch of water to boil in a large pot and add the broccoli. Cover and cook until almost tender. Put the washed spinach on top, cover, and cook until very tender. Drain and let cool a little, then squeeze out as much water as possible and chop finely.

Melt 1/2 tbsp butter in a small skillet. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes.

Warm the olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeño and oregano and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli/spinach mixture and cook, stirring often, until the mixture is hot and any liquid has evaporated, 3-4 minutes. Salt to taste. Let cool a little, then add the feta and cheddar.

Top two of the tortillas with the greens and then the mushrooms. Top with the other two tortillas and press lightly with your hands.

Warm 1/2 tbsp butter in a large skillet and add one of the quesadillas, cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes, then flip and cook the other side. Repeat with the second quesadilla. Cut into quarters and serve.

Serves 2