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Tart Strawberry Rhubarb Compote

So...I made yogurt the other day. On accident. I was absolutely exhilarated. I made this, completely from scratch. I had made a quick soymilk kefir the other morning. I just put a cup of soymilk in a mason jar, adding one probiotic capsule and stirred. I thought, "Oh, I'll just drink this on my way to work." Well I didn't and I forgot it in my car. When I left work it was 85 F, in the shade. Which means my car was probably like 115 F or so. I saw my kefir, picked it up annnnnd...it was solid. Completely solid. It. Was. Awesome. So, my kefir sat in the my 115 F car for 9 hours and voila, yogurt! I do not recommend making yogurt this way. Todd was pretty sure I was going die and looking back, I probably shouldn't of eaten it. But I did.

I brought it home and put it in the fridge, super eager to eat it later that night. I tasted it alone and it definitely was anything spectacular, so I decided to make a strawberry rhubarb compote to go along with it! This is a very easy, super simple compote. I use lemon juice because I love my compote tart but if you want to tone down the tartness, use orange juice instead.

Tart Strawberry Rhubarb Compote

Inspired by Accident & Simple Bites

  • 2 medium stalks of rhubarb, chopped small
  • 10 medium strawberries, quartered
  • juice from half a lemon
  • 2 Tbsp. brown sugar

Chop the rhubarb and the strawberries and add to a small saucepan. Juice the lemon and add to the pot as well, also adding the brown sugar. Stir it all up well to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once boiling, cover and allow it to simmer for about 5 minutes. Careful to lift the lid every now and again because this shit will boil over on you and make a gigantic mess. Uncover, thank God, and simmer for another 5 minutes. The rhubarb and strawberries should be soft and mushy by now. I like to mush them up a bit at the end but feel free to leave them mostly intact if desired. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Serve with whatever you like! Use it as jam, or mix it in yogurt, over pancakes, it's really good over anything. Well, most anything.

My yogurt was utterly delicious by the way.

Yogurt With Strawberry Rhubarb Compote
Author: Katie - Produce On Parade
Serves: 1 cup
This is a very easy, super simple compote. I use lemon juice because I love my compote tart but if you want to tone down the tart, use orange juice instead.
Ingredients
  • 2 medium stalks of rhubarb, chopped small
  • 10 medium strawberries, quartered
  • juice from half a lemon
  • 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
Instructions
  1. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
  2. Once boiling, cover and let simmer for about 5 minutes.
  3. Uncover and simmer for another 5 minutes.
  4. Allow to cool before serving. Serve with water you like!
  5. Add all ingredients to a small saucepan. Stir well to combine.

Toasty Bean & Cheese Quesadillas

When my little brother was younger, he was the Quesadilla King. We went through 20 lb. packs of tortillas and a huge block of cheddar cheese from Costco that would kill someone if it fell on them. Every damn day, as soon he got home from school it was quesadilla time. He knew how to cook eggs and quesadillas and that was about it. I have no idea how this happened. Ease, perhaps? Eggs are easy and quick enough and the same is true with quesadillas. His quesadilla consisted of a comical amount of cheese sandwiched between two tortillas and microwaved into a gooey, oily limpness. He apparently didn't have a very sophisticated palate at the age of ten. We'll cut him some slack.

How my parents allowed him to make quesadillas everyday of his pre-teen life is beyond me. He still probably has that damn cheese all clogged up in his arteries. Okay anyways, that quesadilla is fine for a ten year old maybe, but not for a vegan foodie! For my quesadilla I wanted something basic but delicious. Crispy tortillas, layered with beany, cheesy goodness. Goodbye greasy, limp cheese quesadillas, it's the age of the Toasty Bean & Cheese Quesadillas! A classic comfort food and mostly healthy too. I'll have to introduce you to my little brother.

Toasty Bean & Cheese Quesadillas

Inspired by Sugar Coated Vegan

Makes 2 full quesadillas

  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped small
  • 5 large garlic cloves, minced fine
  • 2 15 oz. cans of black beans (or your bean of choice), drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup of salsa, divided in half
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
  • 1 bag of Daiya cheddar cheese
  • 4 medium flour tortillas
  • 7 small sweet peppers, sliced thin

First, drain and rinse your beans. Then chop the onions and cilantro (set aside) and mince the garlic. In a medium pot heat the olive oil, then add the onion and garlic. Saute until the onions are soft.

Next, add the beans, 1/2 cup of salsa and the salt to the pot and combine with the onions and garlic. Make an effort to mash the beans up while stirring. Cook until the bean mixture is thoroughly heated. Add in the cilantro and stir to combine. Slice up the sweet little peppers and set aside. Aren't they just darling?

Heat a medium frying pan and spray with a nonstick cooking spray. Place one tortilla in the pan and add 1/2 of the cheese , scattering it over the tortilla. Over medium-low, allow the cheese to melt ensuring not to burn the bottom of the tortilla.

Once the cheese is mostly melted, add half of the bean mixture on top and half of the sliced peppers on top of that. Place a tortilla on top and gently flip. Cook until the new tortilla has browned and the cheese is fully melted.

Cut it up however you'd like and serve with your favorite salsa!

Toasty Bean & Cheese Quesadillas
Cuisine: Entree
Author: Katie - Produce On Parade
Serves: 2-4
Crispy tortillas, layered with beany, cheesy goodness. Goodbye greasy, limp cheese quesadillas, it's the age of the Toasty Bean & Cheese Quesadillas!
Ingredients
  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped small
  • 5 large garlic cloves, minced fine
  • 2 15 oz. cans of black beans (or your bean of choice), drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup of salsa, divided in half
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
  • 1 bag of Daiya cheddar cheese
  • 4 medium flour tortillas
  • 7 small sweet peppers, sliced thin
Instructions
  1. In a medium pot heat the olive oil, then add the onions and garlic.
  2. Saute until soft and add beans, 1/2 cup of salsa and salt to the pot.
  3. Mash the beans up while stirring cooking until thoroughly heated.
  4. Add in the cilantro and stir to combine.
  5. Heat a medium frying pan and spray with a nonstick cooking spray.
  6. Place one tortilla in the pan and add 1/2 of the cheese.
  7. Allow the cheese to mostly melt then add half the bean mixture on top and half of the sliced peppers on top of that. Place a tortilla on top and gently flip.
  8. Cook until the new tortilla has browned and the cheese is fully melted.
  9. Cut it up however you'd like and serve with your favorite salsa!