Garlic Scape and Watermelon Radish Quesadillas

These quesadillas were the product of foods that could have turned into food waste: leftover veggie burgers and farmers market impulse buys.

I had made Chris Morocco's Easiest Ever Veggie Burgers for dinner one night and they were dang delicious. I had a few leftover patties, but I saw more than burgers in their future. Lucky for me, I had a handful of garlic scapes and some gorgeous watermelon radishes in the fridge waiting for their destiny.

Naturally, I started to put all these ingredients together and wing it. I broke up the patties in a skillet and then added some chopped vegetables to the party. I also had some corn tortillas and Monterey jack cheese on hand, so I put it all together and ate it up. It turns out this combo was absolutely to die for and needed a home on the blog. So here we are.

This recipe is my shining example of one of the best ways to avoid food waste: getting a little freaky with the foods you have on hand. If you have leftovers but don't feel like eating them as is, don't be afraid to experiment.

Let me know what you think of the recipe in the comments and don't forget to follow the sustainability tips below!

Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4 quesadillas

Ingredients

• Olive oil

• 4 oz. extra-firm tofu, drained

• 1/2 of a 14.5-oz. can of black beans, drained well

• 1 tablespoon almond butter

• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

• 1 small garlic clove, minced

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa, cooled

• 1 cup chopped garlic scapes (about 1/2 of a pound)

• 1 medium watermelon radish, sliced into 1/8 inch thick semi-circles

• About 1/2 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese

• Microgreens for garnish

• 8 corn tortillas

Steps

1. Shred drained tofu on a box grater (or crumble with your hands) and squeeze with a towel to remove excess liquid. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Combine tofu and beans and add to skillet. Saute until beans are browning, about 10 minutes.

2. While the beans and tofu are cooking, combine almond butter, mayonnaise, garlic, chili powder and salt in a large bowl. Add this seasoning to the beans and tofu, along with the cooked quinoa, stirring to combine. Toss the scapes and radishes into the pan and cook the whole mixture until scapes are tender and beginning to brown. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

3. Place one tortilla in the pan over medium-low. Grate a thin layer of cheese over the tortilla, then add a layer of the tofu mixture, followed by another very thin layer of cheese. Place another tortilla on top. Cook each side for several minutes, until cheese is melted and tortilla is dappled with browning. Plate it up, top with microgreens, slice into triangles and enjoy!

Sustainability Tips

• Garlic, garlic scapes and watermelon radishes: Ideally, get these from your back yard or buy them from a local farmer you know and love. Buying locally can help support your neighborhood economy and cut down on greenhouse gases from transportation. Another great option here would be buying organically grown produce.

• Cheese: My go-to options for buying sustainable cheese are buying from B Corps or buying locally produced cheese. B Corps are a great option for dairy products because these companies are committed to giving back and being socially, environmentally and economically responsible. Buying locally is great because it allows you to support your local economy without the need for excess greenhouse gas emissions during travel.

• Tortillas: Look around for a local tortilla producer. I got my tortillas at a Mexican supermarket, so be on the lookout for one near you. Buying locally can help support local businesses and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from travel.