Go Meatless Monday is recognized by cities and countries all around the world. It's a day people unite around food. The quesadilla is originally a Mexican food although there are many versions today. It's starts with a flat circle of cooked flour or corn masa, called a tortilla, warmed to soften it enough to be folded in half, and then filled with a savory mixture containing cheese and other ingredients,, such as chicken. It's usually folded in half to form a half-moon shape.
This savory recipe doesn't have a meat filling.
Herbes de Provence is dried blend of: French rosemary, thyme, tarragon, basil, savory, Italian fennel, lavender blossoms and marjoram. Sliced button mushrooms can be substituted for red peppers.
Asparagus Brie Quesadillas
Serves 2
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, divided
2 teaspoons dried Herbes de Provence
1-1/2 teaspoons Morton® Coarse Kosher Salt
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
2 tablespoons prepared basil pesto or spaghetti sauce
1 pound fresh asparagus, blanched and coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped red pepper (about 1 medium)
9 ounces Brie cheese, thinly sliced
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
In small bowl, combine olive oil with Herbes de Provence and Morton® Kosher Salt. Brush mixture on one side of each tortilla. Place tortillas, oil-side-down in single layer, on lightly greased large baking pans. Evenly spread pesto on top of tortillas. Sprinkle two tortillas evenly with asparagus and red pepper. Arrange Brie slices over asparagus/pepper mixture; sprinkle 2 tablespoons mozzarella cheese over Brie slices.
Fold each tortilla over to form a half moon or cover with second tortilla; press down firmly. Bake quesadillas at 375° F. 10 to 15 minutes or until tortillas are light golden brown along edges and cheese melts.
Cut each baked tortilla into four or six wedges and serve immediately with a chopped tomato salad topped with pico de gallo, sauteéd jalapeño slices, guacomole, sour cream.
Nutritional Information (amount per serving)
Calories 1200; Carbohydrates 84g; Cholesterol 140mg; Fiber 6g; Fat 8g; Sodium 214mg; Protein 47g
Salt Nutrition: According to the Salt Institute, the sodium you get from salt is what allows nerves to send and receive electrical impulses. It is what makes your muscles stay strong. It’s what makes your brain work. It’s actually what makes every cell in your body function. Salt does all of this without adding a single calorie.
Carbs and diabetes: People with diabetes must always focus on carbohydrates. Depending on individual health challenges, reliable sources indicate that most people with diabetes should not consume more than about 130 grams of carbohydrate each day.
* Sources: Morton Salt, Mayo Clinic, Salt Institute, Culinary Arts
Morton Salt for more than 160 years has served as a symbol of excellence and a trusted authority on salt. Today, Morton Salt, Inc. remains a leading salt producer in North America.
Mayo Clinic reports that sea salt and table salt have the same basic nutritional value, despite the fact that sea salt is often promoted as being healthier.
The Salt Institute is a North American based, non-profit trade association dedicated to advocating the many benefits of salt, particularly to ensure winter roadway safety, quality water and healthy nutrition.
The Salt Institute finds salt is so much more than something you sprinkle on French fries. Salt does more than improve flavor. It intensifies it. It reduces bitterness and enhances sweetness. It provides balance. It’s a natural preservative, it helps bread rise, and it’s even a critical ingredient in ice cream. It’s equally at home encrusted on a thick steak as it is on a caramel.
Studies from the Journal of the American Medical Association show that people with the highest sodium intake have the longest lives.
The American Journal of Hypertension agrees and reports that there is no strong evidence that cutting salt intake reduces the risk of heart attacks or strokes. In fact, reducing salt to levels recommended by the U.S. government can cause harm and decrease life expectancy. Even Scientific American has called for an end to the war on salt, saying that the drive to limit our salt intake has little basis in science.
Salt a mineral, essential to the health of people and animals. Salt is naturally present in small quantities, in most foods, such as meats, vegetables and fruit. It is often added to processed foods to make the flavor more appealing. Salt is also added at higher levels in preserved foods. Salt a universal seasoning when cooking, and salt in shakers often sits on the home kitchen table. Saltiness is one of the five basic taste sensations.
Kosher salt is a coarse-grained salt that's great for cooking because it's easier to handle than ordinary table salt, and it adheres to food products better, too. Since salt is by far the most important seasoning agent in the culinary arts, kosher salt is definitely a cook's best friend.
Sea salt is produced through evaporation of ocean water or water from saltwater lakes, usually with little processing. Sea salt comes in coarseness levels.
Table salt is typically mined from underground salt deposits. It usually contains an additive to prevent clumping. Most table salt has added iodine, an essential nutrient that helps maintain a healthy thyroid.
Whichever type of salt you enjoy, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting sodium to less than 2,300 milligrams a day — or 1,500 milligrams if you're age 51 or older or if you have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.