The perfect answer for the “I don’t feel like cooking tonight” conundrum are these quesadillas, which are stuffed with pinto beans, sharp cheddar and fresh baby kale. No need to cook the kale, it wilts when sandwiched in between the melty cheese. Look for sprouted whole-grain tortillas in the refrigerator section where fresh salsa and tortillas are sold.
Kale is considered a quintessential health food, mainly because of its rich vitamin and polyphenol content. However, cooking kale can actually deplete some of the most valuable nutrients, which are destroyed by heat. In this recipe, you simply wilt the kale instead of steaming or sauteing — minimizing the cooking process for kale and preserving the antioxidants so you get the most bang for your buck.
Active time: 10 minutes Total time: 25 minutes
Kale Quesadillas With Avocado Dip
Ingredients
- 1 small ripe avocado, pitted and diced
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons taco sauce
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 medium ripe heirloom tomato, seeded and chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 medium (8-inch) sprouted whole-grain tortillas (such as Ezekiel)
- 1 cup (4 ounces) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 4 cups (loosely packed) (160g) baby kale, stems discarded
Directions
Preheat oven to 200°F (93°C). Mash the avocado, lime juice and taco sauce in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside. In another bowl, combine the beans, tomato and cumin; mash with a fork until most of the beans are crushed. Microwave for 1 minute on high or heat in a small saucepan over medium heat until warmed, 2 minutes.
Mist a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the pan and sprinkle evenly with a quarter of the cheese, bean mixture and kale. Cook until the bottom of the tortilla is golden brown underneath and the cheese has melted, 4 minutes. Reduce heat if the tortilla begins to burn before the cheese has melted.
Fold the tortilla in half to encase the filling. Press down with a spatula to adhere the sides together. Transfer the quesadilla to a baking sheet and keep it warm in the oven while repeating the process with the remaining ingredients to make 4 quesadillas.
Cut the quesadillas into 3–4 wedges each. Serve with the avocado dip.
Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1 quesadilla, 3 tablespoons avocado dip
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 452; Total Fat: 19g; Saturated Fat: 7g; Monounsaturated Fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 30mg; Sodium: 549mg; Carbohydrate: 50g; Dietary Fiber: 13g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 22g
Discover hundreds of healthy recipes — from high protein to low carb — via “Recipe Discovery” in the MyFitnessPal app.
