Recipe

Pumpkin Quesadillas with Cranberry Orange Salsa

developed by Church Health Center Wellness
Photograph by Rachel Davis

Enjoy the flavors of Fall with this nutritious and delicious take on a Tex-Mex staple. This recipe is a great way to use leftovers after carving your pumpkin or enjoying your Thanksgiving meal. If you divide the servings in half, it makes a good after-school snack for children, and they can help too!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Serving Size: 1 quesadilla with salsa
Nutrition Facts (per serving): Calories: 242; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 163 mg; Carbohydrate: 35 g; Fiber: 5 g; Protein: 10 g

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1½ cup pumpkin or winter squash, peeled,    seeded, and cubed
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 large tomato, chopped
  • ½ cup cooked corn
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • Dash of salt
  • 8 small corn tortillas
  • ¾ cup Monterey Jack Cheese, low fat

Ingredients for Salsa:

  • 1 navel orange and any other desired fruits    for zest (strips of peeled citrus fruit skins)
  • ¼ cup whole cranberries
  • 2 tablespoons pecans
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar substitute

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over high heat. Add pumpkin and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
  3. Add onions, peppers and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
  4. Stir in tomatoes, corn and spices, cook for 2 minutes.
  5. Transfer vegetables to a foil-lined cookie sheet and roast in oven for 8–10 minutes or until pumpkin is tender when pierced with a fork.
  6. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray.
  7. Add 1 tortilla, sprinkling with cheese, top with ¼ cup of pumpkin mixture made above. Again sprinkle with cheese and top with second quesadilla.
  8. Flip tortilla after about 45 seconds and heat other side.
  • Repeat for the remaining three quesadillas.

For Salsa:

  1. Zest 1 orange by passing through a food processor or by using a paring knife to cut peel into thin strips.
  2. Mix remaining chopped orange, cranberries, and pecans in a medium bowl. Blend until chucky, do not puree.
  3. Sprinkle zested peels onto salsa.
  4. Serve salsa (about 2 tablespoons per quesadilla) over warm quesadillas.

Tagged under:

Share on:

Related Products

Related Articles