Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato, Kale, and Black Bean Quesadilla

This recipe turned out quite hearty and tasty!  I have always been a fan of quesadillas and most always have the ingredients on hand to whip one up in a snap.  This one was no exception!  The original recipe, which I found on Cookie Monster Cooking, called for just sweet potatoes.  But I had some butternut squash on hand so I added that into the mix.  I also added in some cilantro and a squeeze of lime to the quesadillas as I was assembling them, which added a nice lift to the hearty ingredients.  I ate some of the filling alongside a grilled chicken breast, which as delicious as well!

 Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes, sliced ½ inch thick
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2 inch thick
¾ teaspoon salt, divided, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon oregano
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
½ tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch of kale, stemmed and chopped
5 green onions, thinly sliced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges
8 to 10 large flour tortillas
2 to 2 ½ cups freshly grated cheddar cheese

Procedure

Add the sliced potatoes and squash to a large saucepan and add enough water to cover the potatoes. Add ½ teaspoon of the salt to the pot. With the heat on high, bring the water to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes and squash are tender. Drain and then add to a large bowl. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes and squash. Add the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, cumin, chili powder, oregano and chipotle peppers. Mix until well combined.

In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add in the kale and green onions. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the kale is bright green and tender. Add the mixture to the bowl with the mashed sweet potatoes. Next add in the black beans and mix until well combined.  At this point, taste your mashed mixture and add more salt if necessary.

Place the tortillas on a work surface. Use a spatula to smear about ⅓ to ½ cup of the filling on half of the tortilla. Top with about ¼ cup of the cheese (or to taste).  Squeeze one lime wedge over the cheese and sprinkle with cilantro.  Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the filling to form a semicircle. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Wipe out the skillet you used for the kale and set over medium high heat. When hot, spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Place an assembled quesadilla in the pan and cook, flipping once halfway through, until both sides are browned and the cheese is melted. Cut into triangles and serve with sour cream and/or salsa (I used just a little sour cream so you could still taste the nuances of the quesadilla.  The salsa kind of overpowered it).