Roasted Broccoli Quesadillas with Chile Cashew Queso
The leaves have returned to the trees, the days are longer, and outside parties feel increasingly possible. It’s a relief to be with friends again, gathering around for snacks and drinks. Socializing is incredibly important to me—and a brain-boosting lifestyle tenet—but too often this is when the food and drinks stray far from my brain-healthy goals. So, I’ve been on a mission to develop recipes for entertaining that are just as crowd-pleasing as they are good for your brain. Think: happy hour food that loves you back.
Enter these quesadillas: They’re packed with crispy roasted vegetables and oozing with an addictively delicious cashew chile sauce, they are entirely plant-based. Believe me, no one will miss the cheese.
Quesadillas rich in brain-friendly fats
A brain-protective diet provides mostly mono- and polyunsaturated fats (like you get from nuts) and is low in saturated fat (like in cheese, butter, and mayonnaise). Whenever you employ a nut-based swap in a recipe that calls for cheese, it’s a win for your brain. Studies show that a steady diet of high fat foods, such as butter, cheese, red meat, and processed foods, is strongly linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Nuts, like the cashews in this “queso” sauce, are rich in monounsaturated fats (MUFAs). These brain-friendly fats, (along with the polyunsaturated fats, or PUFAs, especially the omega-3s) are essential to fending off dementia with age. Consuming enough of these fats can slow down cognitive decline and decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s and other dementias. In addition, not getting enough of these types of fats in the diet is directly correlated with poor cognitive function with age and an increased risk of Alzheimer’s.
The creamy queso is addictingly good, without saturated fat
Nuts also provide a good dose of protein and nutrients your brain loves, like vitamin E and magnesium. Not to mention, they give these quesadillas depth of flavor and a satiating creamy texture. Other foods that provide brain-friendly fats are seeds, avocados, cold water fish, olives, and olive oil.
Peppers provide capsaicin, a brain-boosting flavonoid
The same nutrient that gives chiles their spiciness—capsaicin—is also a potent antioxidant for the brain. (Read here about why I consider chiles an under-the-radar brain food.) The type of chiles you use will determine how spicy your queso is. If using diced green chiles from a can (such as Hatch), you can choose mild or spicy. Or, take this sauce to the next level of heat by using fire-roasted poblanos, stripped of their seeds and skins (see Tip).The cilantro adds a bright green color to the queso along with a fresh summery vibe.
Switch up the quesadilla fillings with the seasons
Once you have this basic quesadilla and sauce technique down, branch out using whatever roasted vegetables you love that suit the season. Fresh corn and tomatoes in the summer, mushrooms and squash in the fall, and hearty greens (Swiss chard or kale) in the winter.
Serve these to hungry guests straight from the pan and watch as they are quickly devoured. (Hibiscus Lime Sangria is the perfect drink to serve alongside.) Or, make these the centerpiece of a light supper along with a plate of sliced avocado, oranges, and jicama doused in fresh lime juice.
Tips:
Make the cashew queso while the broccoli and onions are roasting. Use leftover sauce on its own as a dip for crudité (or chips, of course!). Or, use it instead of cheese atop enchiladas, in burritos, or dolloped onto black bean soup.
To roast fresh poblano chiles, place them directly over the flame of a grill or stovetop burner. Rotate until the skin is charred on all sides. Transfer to a plastic bag, seal, and let sit for 10 minutes. As the peppers steam, the skins will soften. When cool enough to handle, slip off the blackened skin and discard. Strip the peppers of veins and seeds, being careful not to touch your face or eyes. Dice the peppers for the queso.
Prep Time | 10 minutes |
Cook Time | 30 minutes |
Servings |
quesadillas
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- 3 cups broccoli florets from one medium head
- 1 large red onion halved and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons avocado or extra virgin olive oil divided
- ¼ teaspoon chile powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 8-inch tortillas, warmed whole wheat, almond, or corn
- 1 cup Chile Cashew “Queso” plus more for serving, recipe follows
- ½ cup loosely packed cilantro tender stems and leaves coarsely chopped, plus more for serving
- Lime wedges for serving
Ingredients
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- Preheat the oven to 400ºF with a rack set in the center position.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the broccoli, onion,1 tablespoon oil, chile powder, and salt on the baking sheet until evenly coated. Roast, tossing once, until the onions are soft and caramelized and the broccoli is golden brown and crispy in spots, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Spread ¼ cup Chile Cashew Queso evenly over half of one tortilla, leaving a ½-inch border. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cilantro and top with a heaping ½ cup of vegetables, making sure to distribute the onion, broccoli florets, and stem evenly. Fold the tortilla in half and press down. Repeat with remaining filling and tortillas.
- Warm a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and coat with 1 teaspoon oil. Carefully place one of the quesadillas in the pan and cook until the bottom is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook for about 2 minutes on the other side. Keep warm in the oven and repeat with the remaining quesadillas.
- To serve, cut each quesadilla into wedges. Serve with extra queso for dipping and lime wedges on the side.
Chile Cashew Queso
Makes 2 cups
- 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews
- ½ cup water, plus more for boiling 1
- cup diced green chiles (such as Hatch), from two 4-ounce cans or freshly roasted (see tip), divided
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground chile powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup loosely packed cilantro, tender stems and leaves coarsely chopped
Place the cashews in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover, and turn off the heat. After 15 minutes, drain and discard the water.
Transfer the cashews to a blender with ½ cup fresh water, ½ cup of the chiles, the nutritional yeast, garlic, cumin, chile powder, and salt.
Blend on high until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the blender halfway. Transfer to a bowl and fold in the remaining chiles and cilantro until evenly distributed.
Leftover queso keeps, tightly covered in the fridge, for up to 5 days.
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