Planning meals for the week can be stressful, especially in the fall—the onset of shorter days often seems to coincide with busy days and a lack of motivation to cook. But we’re taking cues from actress Tiffani Thiessen, who not only encourages us to ask for help when we need it, but to use leftovers as an efficient way to get a nutritious dinner on the table. She suggests getting the most out of your refrigerator by transforming last night’s meal into something approachable and delicious, like her Butternut Squash Quesadillas. Here’s why we love this easy fall-inspired meal.
Thiessen, an avid cook with two kids, knows that in order to get dinner on the table, you have to work smarter, not harder. It’s why she wrote a whole cookbook, Here We Go Again, about resourcefully using leftovers for creating fast meals. One recipe she makes often is her butternut squash quesadillas. We love that she uses this nutritious gourd as the base. It’s packed with fiber and nutrients like Vitamin A and Vitamin C, and since there’s no meat, the quesadilla is a great vegetarian option too.
We caught up with Thiessen at a Kraft Naturals event in Chicago where she demoed these ooey-gooey quesadillas—and showed us exactly how simple they are to put together. She began with making a simple lime-infused sour cream which is reserved as a garnish for the quesadillas. For that part of the dish, all you’ll need is a small bowl of sour cream, a generous squeeze of lime juice and a little pinch of salt. Stir it all together, and you’ve got an easy, tangy crema that you can serve on the side or drizzle over your final product.
Next, Thiessen made the filling by broiling tomatoes, onion, garlic and chipotle with seasonings like oregano and cumin. She tossed the spiced veggies with cooked butternut squash and fresh cilantro, then added the mixture to tortillas along with shredded cheese. She covered the top of each loaded flour tortilla with another tortilla and cooked the quesadilla in a hot skillet on the stove. After cutting the quesadillas, she garnished them with the lime crema, plus a few pomegranate arils and pumpkin seeds. The result was a dish that’s not only satisfying, but nutritious and delicious.
When we sat down to chat with Thiessen, she said that leftovers are the secret to her success—that’s why she wrote her latest cookbook. She also shared that in her home, the cooking philosophy is that “everyone can and should help,” including the kids.
“My oldest makes dinner for us once a week,” she said, “it’s good practice for her.” She also offered a few tips for making these quesadillas as delish and convenient as they can possibly be.
- Swap the vegetables. The beauty of the dish is that it can be altered easily, said Thiessen. “If you don’t like butternut squash, you can put anything in there, zucchini, broccoli or Brussels sprouts.” Use what you’ve got—especially if you can use up some leftovers while you’re at it.
- Try other cheeses. Thiessen likes the thick-cut Kraft Natural Signature Mexican blend cheese for these quesadillas, since that cheese produces a super-yummy “cheese-pull,” but feel free to use any cheese blend of your choice. We’ve been known to use everything from Gruyère to Monterey Jack to achieve that perfect cheesy balance.
- Play with toppings. Thiessen ups the nutrition ante of these quesadillas by using high-fiber, nutrient-dense foods like pomegranate arils and pumpkin seeds, but other toppings can be nutritious additions, too. Try sliced avocado, thinly shredded cabbage or diced tomatoes!
You could also change up your tortilla plans—we like to opt for a whole-wheat tortilla (even making them by hand, when we’re ready to tackle a fun project) because adding more whole grains to your day can be a boon for your health. After all, more whole grains means more fiber, healthy fats and antioxidants.
However you stuff and top these quesadillas, they’re a fun fall twist on a classic supper staple. If you’re on a bit of a quesadilla kick yourself, you could always shake up your routine with other fun recipes like our Sweet Potato Quesadillas or BBQ Pork & Smoked Gouda Quesadillas. And if butternut squash is what really piques your interest, cozy fall recipes like our Marry Me Butternut Squash Steaks make tasty dinner plans, too.
