For almost a month, this quesadilla–or some version of it–was my immediate go-to dinner every night. Coming home from work, I’d be tired and hungry and going through a lengthy process of dinner-making never sounded appealing (yes, even for me). This quesadilla, however, can be whipped up in under 10 minutes. You’re probably skeptical, but I swear, I’m not exaggerating. Once I knew what I was doing, this recipe took me 5 minutes.
I loved having a dinner that I knew would be delicious (hello, it’s a quesadilla! what’s not to like?), quick and easy, and surprisingly healthy.
Now, just how healthy this quesadilla is completely depends on the ingredients you choose (mainly the cheese and tortilla). As far as tortillas go (or what I use, which is actually a lavash), there’s a HUGE range in quality and nutrition. For the least processed thing possible, go for a sprouted grain tortilla by Ezekiel. My personal favorite is Joseph’s Flax, Oat Bran & Whole Wheat Square Lavash. It has a few more ingredients than I’d like, but it’s high in protein and fiber and unlike most other low-calorie products, it’s actually tasty. Also, it’s HUGE, meaning that you can put a lot in it. For quesadillas, that’s big deal–if you’ve ever tried to make a quesadilla from a small tortilla and ended up having ingredients overspilling everywhere, you know what I’m talking about. For cheese, look for something with as few ingredients as possible. In general, I’d argue for low-fat cheese and recommend against fat-free cheese since it’s usually highly processed.
I found it really hard to take a photo of a finished quesadilla! It’s quite flat, which made angles difficult. So bear with the photo 🙂
Crab & Scallion Quesadilla
This is just my most original and fun creation with the quesadilla. You can put in whatever you want and easily change it up. I often used zucchini and broccoli in place of the spinach, shredded chicken for the crab, and extra cheese in place of the creamcheese.
- 1 whole wheat tortilla or lavash (if you’re using a tortilla, you might need 2)
- 2 ounces crab meat
- handful of chopped scallions (about 2-3 scallions)
- 1 large handful of spinach
- 1 tablespoon creamcheese
- 1/4 cup or so of grated cheddar or Mexican-style cheese (see above for my suggestions)
- sea salt
- a few tablespoons of salsa of your choice (I like Newman’s Own mild salsa)
Warm up a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Once it is warm, add a touch of oil or oil spray and spinach. Add a tiny pinch of sea salt to the spinach. Cover the skillet (if you don’t have a cover, don’t fret. It’s not necessary. It just speeds up the process). Let sit for a few minutes, and then uncover and stir. The spinach should be wilted. Set aside.
While the spinach is cooking, spread creamcheese on half of the lavash/tortilla.
Add or spray some additional oil into the same skillet. Add the tortilla, placing half of it flat on the surface of the skillet (not the half that has the creamcheese). Look at the first photo to get an idea of what I mean. Add in the cheese (make sure to spread it out!), the crab, the scallions, and the spinach. Let sit for a minute or two. Then close the tortilla and flip over. Cook for an additional two-ish minutes, until the tortilla is browned.
Serve with salsa (and guac if you’re lucky and have it!).