So let's talk about take-out food for a moment.
Before surgery I loved fast food. Cheesesteaks (steaks...not cakes!), pizza, oh my!
Immediately after surgery I couldn't eat those things (everything made me sick and I do mean everything). Nowadays, it's just not conducive to my lifestyle anymore. That's not to say I don't do it occasionally, but it usually makes me feel sluggish and overfull and sometimes queasy.
But over past few years I've found a good way to substitute many of my favorite take-out offerings. The low-carb quesadilla! It has several benefits:
- Low-carb quesadillas are made of high fiber tortillas (like these), which give you fiber and sometimes additional protein
- They can be made with any size tortilla, so if you can't eat much, use a taco sized one OR you can even use a cookie cutter to cut a "you-sized" tortilla
- You can put nearly anything you love in these suckers and make them good. Read on for some tips.
How to Make (Almost) Any Take-Out Into a Quesadilla
Do do this you'll, of course, need a low-carb tortilla. But in addition you may need:
- A non-stick frying pan or griddle
- Non-stick cooking spray
- A wide spatula
- A portion of shredded or spreadable cheese (cheese is a MUST)
- Other fillings
Here's how to actually cook a quesadilla
Step One: Spray down your pan or griddle well and allow it to get HOT (1-2 minutes over a medium flame out to do it).
Step Two: Lay out your tortilla on a plate or clean surface. Spread half your cheese across half the tortilla (measure it out so you don't go bonkers), then top with any meat/veggies, then do another layer of cheese. Fold the empty half of the tortilla over your "stuff" so that it makes a half moon shape.
Step Three: Lift the uncooked quesadilla by the open sides and lay it in a pan. Fry for about 1-2 minutes on each side or until tortilla is crisp.
Step Four: Transfer to a plate and cut into the appropriate amount of wedges.
And here are some ideas of things you can make into quesadillas (all tested by me!)
- Taco-dilla: (pictured) Fill your tortilla with leftover taco meat, some shredded cheese (or, as I like to do, a wedge of jalapeno Laughing Cow cheese) along with a bit of salsa.
- Cheesesteak Quesadilla: Spray a pan down with non-stick and cook up some shredded low-sodium and/or low-fat deli beef (or leftover beef, your choice) along with slivers of onions and green pepper.
- French Dip Quesadilla: Sort of like the cheesesteak, but be sure to use Swiss cheese (or Laughing Cow Swiss) along with grilled onions. I usually do this as a family thing and serve some nice soup instead of au jus. (WARNING: It's debatable if this violates the no eating/drinking rule. Use your best judgment!)
- Mushroom Chicken Quesadilla: I tend to use deli chicken meat and sautee it but you can also use leftover chicken breast. Combine with sauteed mushrooms (and onions if that's your thing). I love this with Laughing Cow White Cheddar cheese wedges (I swear I am NOT getting kickback from Laughing Cow for this...but...Laughing Cow if you see this...feel free to send CHEESE!)
- Breakfast Quesadilla: Load up scrambled eggs, cheese, diced sausage and/or bacon (turkey or pork, your choice!) into your tortilla.
- Dessert Quesadilla: Combine about 1/2 c. Greek yogurt with 1/4 c. lowfat cream cheese until combined (you might have to nuke the cream cheese to soften). Sweeten it however you do. If you want to boost it a bit more, add in some unflavored protein to the mixture. Place between the tortilla and add sugar-free or no-sugar added jam of your choice and cook. NOM! Trust me, this is good.
So there you have it. How to satisfy your take-out cravings with a quesadilla. Remember, Foodies, there is NO food you can't make WLS-friendly. Play with your food!
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