Unfortunately for all of us, Tavern no longer makes quesadillas. Last year, I would go get a quesadilla every Sunday afternoon and watch football or whatever other sport they had on. I’m trying to keep the tradition alive, but salad is not sufficient sports-watching food.
Making a quesadilla at home is pretty easy: select your ingredients and grease a pan. One low-calorie option is to mix one part olive oil with five parts water and shake before each use.
Then, grab a tortilla, sprinkle a generous helping of cheese on the inside and then fold it in half. Put the tortilla in the pan and flip when the cheese (or cheese substitute for the lactose intolerant) is partially melted. Here are some recommendations for ingredients.
The Low-Calorie Option
Just because you’re looking for low-calorie food options, doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice taste. Use two of The Laughing Cow light cheese wedges (there are a few different flavors, but I would recommend the Light Queso Fresco & Chipotle flavor), spinach and maybe some strips of grilled chicken.
The Colorful Option
Putting a lot of different textures and colors into your food makes it more interesting and very appealing to eat or to take pictures of (I do not support or condone putting everything you eat on Instagram. It’s kind of strange). Also, by eating foods that are different colors, you are probably doing a better job of getting all of the vitamins and minerals that we need daily. For this option, use black beans, corn, green bell peppers, red bell peppers and whatever cheese you like.
The Mediterranean Option
No one said you couldn’t ever take flavors from a certain culinary tradition and use them in a dish of another culture. Try a spinach and feta quesadilla to enjoy some of the flavors common in Mediterranean cuisine in a new way. You can do this with really any type of ingredients you like. If someone is adventurous enough to try a chicken masala quesadilla with goat cheese, all the better. Just be conscious of the different flavors you’re using and how they fit together. It’s generally a safe bet to stick to flavor combinations that are common within any regional cooking tradition.
My Favorite Ingredient
Avocados might as well be considered their own food group in my diet. Whenever I go home, the first thing I want is guacamole. The way we make it in my house is combining avocados with salsa and a generous dash of cumin. Cumin is a spice common in Latin American cooking that I like because it gives a sort of bite to anything, including things like avocado that are very fatty and creamy. But don’t worry about the fat content. Avocados have some of the most beneficial fats that you can find anywhere. Just make sure that you eat it in a reasonable quantity and save some for me.
jaremaband@theeagleonline.com
