How to Make Healthy Quesadillas: 5 Tips From a Certified Nutrition Coach

healthy quesadillas

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Also note: While I am a certified nutrition coach, I am not a medical doctor. Information here is not intended to be a replacement for the advice you should seek from your doctor.

Do you think quesadillas are bad for you? Today I am going to prove that this is not necessarily the case.
Let’s get started making some easy and delicious healthy quesadillas.

How to Make Healthy Quesadillas

  1. Buy healthy flour tortillas

    First of all, try to buy the healthiest flour tortillas you can find. Indeed, the most important thing is to avoid tortillas with hydrogenated oils. Second, try to avoid as many preservatives as possible.

    You can find some tortillas with really clean ingredients at your favorite health food store. However, these cleaner tortillas can sometimes be difficult to fold. To avoid this issue, you can get some that contain a few oils and preservatives, as these are generally more pliable.

    Finally, a third alternative is to make the tortillas yourself, which is for sure the best and healthiest option.

  2. Use some avocado oil

    Use a little bit of avocado oil to lightly brush one side of the tortilla. This will make them crunchier and tastier. Avocado oil is a “healthy fat” as compared to typical quesadillas, which are made with butter.

  3. Use low-fat cheese

    The choice and amount of cheese you are going to use in your tortillas are crucial. The reason is that cheese can often be full of “unhealthy” saturated fats and high in calories. Therefore, try to opt for a good quality Mexican cheese, preferably low-fat.

  4. Add more veggies

    Load up your tortillas with lots of plant food ingredients. Adding them will not only make your quesadillas healthier and more nutritious but also more filling due to the veggies’ high-fiber content.

  5. Add a little protein

    Protein is important to have with your meals. It doesn’t have to be lean meat though! I like to add black beans to my quesadillas – which have an acceptable amount of plant proteins.

  6. Mind the sauce

    How many times have you paid attention to the sauces you are putting in your food? Sauces and dairy added can indeed be quite tricky, especially if you are on a healthy eating journey! The issue is that they can be quite high in calories and fats.

    A good compromise is to use plain nonfat Greek yogurt as a low-fat and low-calorie substitute for sour cream.

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Ingredient Selection Tips

Tomatoes

The tomato should be bright red, and firm to touch, with no yellow or green parts. They should have a nice smell, too. There are hundreds of species of tomato, but usually smaller ones are tastier and go better with this recipe.

Mexican Cheese

Make sure to find low-fat, high-quality Mexican cheese. You can find it already shredded.

Noteworthy Health Benefits

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are mostly made up of water, which can be up to 95%. They are low in carbs and are a good source of fiber. Tomatoes are loaded with precious nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, and folate. Eating tomatoes can reduce the risk of heart disease and of several cancers, and can even improve our skin health.

Cilantro

Cilantro -also known as coriander- can be considered a true superfood. It may lower blood sugar, may benefit heart and brain health, promote digestion and gut health, and protect our skin. It can also fight infections and inflammation, as it is rich in antioxidants.

healthy quesadilla

Making Quesadillas Healthy

Caitlin Havener
Do you think quesadillas are bad for you? Today I am going to prove that this is not necessarily the case. So let's get started making some easy and delicious healthy quesadillas.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 240 kcal

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Lightly brush some avocado oil on one side of the tortilla
  • Add half of one serving of a quality Mexican cheese -preferably low-fat- to half of the tortilla
  • Load it with red onion, tomato, jalapeno, cilantro, and black beans.
  • Top it with the remaining cheese.
  • Cook until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is golden brown.
  • Fold the quesadilla and cook a little longer to make sure that the cheese adhere to both sides.
  • Cut the quesadilla with a pizza cutter and then serve it with avocado, salsa, and more cilantro.
  • I love to use plain no-fat Greek yogurt as a low-fat substitute for the sour cream.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Making Quesadillas Healthy
Amount per Serving
Calories
240
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
14
g
22
%
Saturated Fat
 
7
g
44
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
5
g
Cholesterol
 
35
mg
12
%
Sodium
 
555
mg
24
%
Potassium
 
387
mg
11
%
Carbohydrates
 
13
g
4
%
Fiber
 
4
g
17
%
Sugar
 
3
g
3
%
Protein
 
17
g
34
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword healthy quesadillas, healthy snack, Vegetarian
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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