Olive This Lunch

Here’s what Vegetarian recipe Nazis who put nutrition above taste will never tell you: You don’t have to eat brussel sprouts, carrots, tomatoes only.  There are yummy vegetables.  I give you:  Mushrooms and olives. Yes, these are vegetables.  If you goal is to power pack vitamins, then go for the broccoli, Lima beans and cauliflower.

If you goal is to eliminate or reduce meat, but still want a satisfying lunch, you’ll love this lunch too.

Olives and mushrooms offer mild anti-inflammatory qualities. (Important to we who have Lupus)

Olives have low cholesterol, provide vitamin E,  but they are a bit high in sodium.

Mushrooms have low sodium, offer many benefits including, fiber, Protein, vitamin C, Zinc and other minerals.

Now that we’ve rationalized consuming tasty veggies Here’s a great lunch.

Basically it’s a quesadilla. Quesadillas are  quick, tasty ways to have a non-meat lunch.  You can have them for supper too,  Offer a few variations and each family member can get what they want. Other suggestions include onions, summer squash, tomatoes, hot peppers, sweet peppers, lettuce, spinach, salsa and even meat.

Here’s the quesadilla I love:

For one serving

1 flour tortilla (Read the labels. Some brands have only 100 calories per tortilla)

½ cup olives (green or black)

¾ sliced fresh mushrooms (white button or baby bellas)

Extra Virgin Olive oil

Seasoning (I use Emeril’s essence)

Cheese (I use two slices of vegetarian non-dairy cheese, found in a produce section, You can use as much of what cheese you like)

1 Tablespoon sour cream

1 teaspoon hot sauce

In a hot saute pan, pour one turn of olive oil. Drop sliced mushrooms into pan.  Leave them undisturbed a couple minutes, they’ll get brown and yummy,  Sprinkle with Seasoning and turn.  Add sliced olives to pan. Continue to saute 2 more minutes.

Remove from pan

Place tortilla in hot pan,  Place cheese on one half of tortilla.  Leave in pan until cheese is soft and tortilla is slightly brown on bottom.

Slide tortilla to plate.Place olives and mushrooms on cheese, fold and cut into half.

Mix the sour cream and hot sauce on plate, and use a a dip for the quesadilla.