Winning meals around here are healthy, protein-filled and quick to whip up. With an added bonus, and nod to our budget, if they are also inexpensive. Enter the lentil quesadilla. Not two foods that I considered combining until recently but trust me.

We always stock our fridge with the steamed lentils from Trader Joe's (healthy! versatile! keeps forever!) and recently a friend mentioned that she puts them in quesadillas as a reliable meal for her toddler. My ears instantly perked up at the mention that her two year old will eat them. When we made one at home it was also a hit with our toddler, as well as with Chris and me, and we declared lentil quesadillas a new dinner staple. 

Quesadillas do not require exact quantities or ingredients, beyond two tortillas to put ingredients between, so this is a loose recipe but it's what we've been loving lately. Links will take you to the specific ingredients from Trader Joe's that we use but adapt to fit your taste and available ingredients.

Lentil quesadillas

• tortillas
• cooked lentils 
• shredded cheese
• corn salsa 
• guacamole
• Greek yogurt (it's better than sour cream! plus protein!)

Heat a large skillet to medium high and place a tortilla in the skillet. Sprinkle a layer of cheese on the tortilla and then spread a layer of lentils followed by dollops of salsa and another sprinkled layer of cheese. Place a second tortilla on top. Cook for about five minutes or until the bottom layer of cheese is beginning to melt and the tortilla on bottom in browning slightly. Flip the quesadilla and cook for approximately five more minutes, until cheese is melted and the bottom layer begins to brown. Cut into triangles and serve with guacamole and Greek yogurt for dipping.