Quesadillas run a close second to tacos in my book, and these Vegetarian Quesadillas are one of my absolute favorites. But this is no ordinary vegetarian quesadilla recipe – it contains a surprising ingredient – greek yogurt!
Quesadillas run a close second to tacos in my book, and these Vegetarian Quesadillas are one of my absolute favorites. But this is no ordinary vegetarian quesadilla recipe – it contains a surprising ingredient – greek yogurt!
These vegetarian quesadilla are a terrific quick and easy snack or meal and perfect for those times when I’m grabbing whatever is handy. While I generally cover the basics (carbohydrates, proteins and fat) I know I am falling short on a number of vitamins and minerals including calcium. How about you? Are you getting enough calcium in your diet? Chances are that you probably aren’t either. Most adults need about 1,000 – 1,500 mg. of calcium a day – that’s about 4 cups of collard greens, 6 cups of black eyed peas or 2.5 cups of tofu – and I don’t know about you, but I know I am nowhere close to consuming those amounts on a daily basis!
Fortunately, consuming dairy products is one of the tastiest ways to meet your daily requirement for calcium – just 3 servings a day is all you need! The 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans lists calcium as one of the nutrients of concern and recommend Americans consume more dairy, whole grains, fruits and vegetables to provide more calcium in their diet. However, many people who are lactose intolerant think they need to eliminate dairy from their diet – but this is not the case! In fact, health experts agree lactose intolerant doesn’t mean dairy avoidance!
One of the things I love about dairy is that it’s ideal for quick and easy eating – like these Vegetarian Quesadillas. Sharp cheddar cheese is a great choice for those with lactose intolerance because hard cheeses contain minimal amounts of lactose. The addition of Greek yogurt not only mellows the sharpness of the cheese but the active cultures in the plain Greek yogurt can help with the digestion of lactose. Combined with some jarred, roasted bell peppers, this Vegetarian Quesadilla recipe makes a calcium packed and full flavored lunch, dinner or snack! These quesadillas can even be assembled ahead of time – and how quick and easy is that!
This post was written while participating in my partnership with the National Dairy Council but as always, the opinions expressed are my own.
Looking for more information on lactose intolerance? The National Dairy Council Website is a fabulous place to start!
Vegetarian Quesadilla
Ingredients
- 8 8 inch flour or corn tortillas
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup plain greek yogurt
- 1 cup roasted red bell pepper cut into strips
- 2 Tbsp. roasted green chiles chopped
Instructions
- Combine cheese and yogurt in a medium bowl and mix. Spread onto 4 tortillas. Top each tortilla with ¼ of the red bell pepper strips and ½ Tbsp. green chilis if using. Top with remaining tortillas. Heat a griddle over medium high heat. Add quesadillas and cook for 3 - 4 minutes until tortilla is browned. Flip and cook for another 3 - 4 minutes. Serve with salsa and additional plain yogurt if desired.
Dairy is my weakness. This is a great lunch.
There was a time not so long ago when I consigned red bell peppers to the same pile I did green…not to be touched. I had an epiphany; glad I took that leap of faith and now I can see a dish like this and love the way it looks and imagine how wonderful it tastes. GORGEOUS!
I really appreciate knowing the numbers behind the food. It helps me to make better choices as corny as that sounds, but true. The recipe sounds and looks good too.
Hi Marilyn,
That is absolutely not corny at all!!!! It is absolutely critical in making good food choices!! I had a lot of fun working on this recipe and have to say I was very pleased with the results!!!