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AH Quesadilla (with Variations)

Chef Dawn Ludwig
Recipe from ALWAYS HUNGRY? by David Ludwig, MD, PhD, and Dawn Ludwig.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Breakfast, Main Course
Cuisine American, Mexican
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

Quesadillas

  • 4 (8-inch) whole wheat or sprouted-wheat tortillas
  • 6 tbsp shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup Mexican Shredded Chicken (Always Hungry? pg. 241) Alternatively cook 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs in 1 tablespoon oil with spices like cumin and powdered chiles, or use leftover rotisserie chicken
  • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 recipe High-Protein Guacamole (recipe below)

High-Protein Guacamole (1 recipe yields 4 servings)

  • 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
  • 1 avocado
  • squeeze of lime juice, optional
  • tsp salt, or to taste
  • 2 tbsp salsa (See Always Delicious pg. 302 for our Fresh Salsa recipe)

Instructions
 

For the Quesadillas

  • Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Warm one tortilla on one side, about 15 seconds, then flip.
  • Lower the heat to medium. Sprinkle 1½ tablespoons of the cheese over the whole tortilla. Top the cheese with ½ cup of the shredded chicken and ¼ cup of the cilantro, spreading them evenly over the tortilla. Top with an additional 1½ tablespoons of the cheese and cover with a second tortilla.
  • Cook on the first side until browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn carefully with a large spatula so that the filling does not fall out, then cook on the second side until browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully remove the from the skillet and place on a large wooden cutting board to cool, 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, cheese, chicken, and cilantro.
  • Cut each quesadilla into six wedges. Serve warm, topped with High-Protein Guacamole.

High-Protein Guacamole

  • Use an immersion blender to blend together Greek yogurt, avocado, lime juice and salt. Blend until smooth. Mix in salsa at the end. Serve with quesadillas.

Notes

Tip

  • Nothing browns a tortilla better than a cast-iron skillet: It heats them as though they're fresh off the griddle.

 

Nutrition (Per Serving - 1/2 of one quesadilla, no High-Protein Guacamole)

Fat: 17g
Carbohydrates: 49g
Protein: 28g
Calories: 455

 

Nutrition (P3 Full Meal - with High-Protein Guacamole)

Pair with one Chocolate Truffle (Always Delicious page 314). TIP: Add a dash of cayenne pepper to the chocolate truffle batter for a Mexican-style chocolate dessert!
Fat: 43%
Carbohydrates: 36%
Protein: 21%
Calories: 680

 

P1 Full Meal Variation (with High-Protein Guacamole)

Modifications
Fat: 51%
Carbohydrates: 25%
Protein: 24%
Calories: 560

 

P2 Full Meal Variation (with High-Protein Guacamole)

Modifications
  • Use four Keto-Friendly tortillas in place of whole wheat tortillas.
  • Serve with 1/4 cup brown rice (ie: with Mexican Rice in Always Delicious page 227), cooked sweet potato, or corn AND 1/4 cup black beans.
  • NOTE: This is a P2 meal with P1 ratios.
Fat: 54%
Carbohydrates: 23%
Protein: 23%
Calories: 530

Dairy-Free Variation

Replace cheese with 1/4 cup Refried Beans (Always Delicious pg. 225). The beans will help hold the quesadilla together - similar to the cheese. 
Keyword Dairy-Free, Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3