Turkey, Black Bean & Pineapple Quesadillas

Thursday, July 25, 2013

From our skinny table to yours...

Quesadillas... one of our favorite guilty pleasures!  Bad news is your typical quesadilla at most restaurants will run you right around 1,000 calories! Well that's almost a days worth of calories and just not worth it!  So put down the take-out menu, get in the kitchen and join us as we turn one of our favorite appetizers into a healthy and filling dinner :)

 
One of our favorite tricks is to cut down our meat portion and bulk it up with lots of veggies!  We sautéed up 99% lean ground turkey with black beans, jalapeno and fresh corn!  We flavored it up with cumin, chili powder, lime & lots of fresh cilantro!  To balance the spice from the jalapeno we added in red peppers, onions and sweet and juicy pineapple!
 
First layer down cheese, then meat and veggie mixture...

 
Then top with peppers, onions and pineapple...

 
We topped our quesadillas with a scrumptious pineapple & avocado salsa!  Simply mix up pineapple, avocado, tomatoes, jalapeno, red onion, garlic, lime juice and lots of fresh cilantro!  The grilled pineapple inside plus the cold and juicy pineapple topping is a really nice combo of flavors :)

 
Our veggie packed quesadilla comes in at right around 300 calories and this includes the guacamole topping :)  You can't beat that!

 
Nutrition Facts Per Serving
Serves: 8
Serving size: 1 quesadilla with guacamole topping
Calories: 312
Fat: 12.8 grams
Carbs: 42.7 grams
Dietary fiber: 13.0 grams
Protein: 17.9 grams
 
Quesadilla Ingredients
1/2 pound 99% lean ground turkey
1 cup reduced sodium black beans
1 ear fresh corn or (1/2 cup frozen)
1 cup pineapple
3 garlic cloves minced
1 jalapeno chopped
1 red onion sliced
2 peppers (we used one red, one green) sliced
1 lime
16 tbsp. reduced fat Mexican cheese
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tbsp. chili powder
Cilantro
8 whole wheat tortillas
 
Guacamole Topping Ingredients
1 avocado
1 cup pineapple chopped
1 cup tomato chopped
1/2 jalapeno minced
1 tbsp. red onion minced
1 garlic cloves minced
1 lime
cilantro
 
Let's get cooking!
1.  Spray skillet with non-stick spray.  Add garlic, lean ground turkey, jalapeno, cumin, chili powder.  Cook for 3 minutes to brown then add corn and black beans.  Add juice of one lime and fresh cilantro.  Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes to fully cook meat and combine flavors.  Set meat aside
3.  In same skillet add one tbsp. olive oil over medium heat.  Add sliced onion, and peppers.  Cook for 5-7 minutes or until onions start to brown and caramelize.  Once brown add pineapple and sauté for an additional 2 minutes to warm.  Set veggies aside for assembly.
4.  To assemble - lay out tortilla on flat surface.  Add one tbsp. reduced fat Mexi cheese to right side of tortilla.  Add layer of meat, layer of pepper & pineapple combo and then one final tbsp. of Mexi cheese.  Fold over tortilla.  Continue to assemble all quesadillas. 
5.  Add non-stick spray to same skillet you have been using.  Add two folded quesadillas to pan.  Cook each tortilla for 2 minutes per side.  Continue cooking 2 at a time.
6.  While quesadillas are cooking, mix together guacamole topping.  Start with one chopped avocado and season with a pinch of salt and juice from one lime.  Mix in onion, tomato, pineapple, jalapeno, garlic and cilantro. 
7.  Slice each quesadilla into 3 slices and top with 1/8 of guacamole topping!
 
Serves 8 healthy portions!  Enjoy :)

You Might Also Like

5 comments

  1. Yuuum! These look really good :P I might try making these this weekend. I'm sure my fiancé won't even know it's healthy he he.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love quesadillas but pineapple? Never thought of that - consider it stolen! haha! Must try.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yum these quesadillas look delicious! I've never thought of incorporating pineapple into mexican food, great idea!

    ReplyDelete

Popular Posts

Followers

APPLY TODAY