Do you ever have one of those nights where you just crave a certain kind of food? That was me the other night. There was nothing I wanted more than a big ‘ol cheesy, delicious ground beef quesadilla from a Mexican restaurant.
Rather than go out, I made my own. And it.was.heavenly.
It had all the flavors and textures you want in a quesadilla – a slightly crisp tortilla (that just happens to be whole wheat), filling ground beef (a lean version that packs in protein and iron), creamy avocado (hello, healthy fats!), and rich cheese. And my version has also got some fiber-rich pinto beans, as well as low calorie (but flavor packed) onions and mushrooms.
I decided to experiment with my own ‘better for you’ version at home, for a few reasons:
- I didn’t want to blow a ton of calories on a restaurant dish.
- I didn’t want to blow a ton of money on a restaurant dish.
- I just started experimenting with adding dairy back into my diet a few weeks ago. Many of you know that my son had food intolerences when he was born, so I had to eliminate several things from my diet. I didn’t want to overdo the cheese since we’re still trying to figure out if he’s tolerating the dairy (and whether last night’s up-every-hour-of-the-night sleep pattern is due to the dairy or teething!), so making my own version at home gave me an option for better controlling the amount of dairy. {Dairy-free and MSPI peeps – you can easily make this recipe fit your needs by simply leaving out the cheese!}
The version I made met all my expectations – and at only about 450 calories for the ground beef quesadilla, it can fit into anyone’s meal plan for a filling dinner. Round it out with some veggies on the side and you’re all set!
- 1.5 pounds of 90/10 lean ground beef
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 onion, sliced thinly
- 8 ounce package of mushrooms (white button or portabella), sliced
- 14.5 ounce can of low sodium pinto beans (about 1.5 cups cooked if you’re using beans you’ve made from dried instead)
- 8 whole wheat tortillas (8-inch size)
- 2 avocadoes
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend (half of one 8-ounce package)
- Brown ground beef in a pan over medium-high heat. Add chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Using a slotted spoon, set beef aside in a bowl.
- Heat the remaining fat that was left in the pan, and sauté the onion and mushrooms. {If needed, add an extra teaspoon of oil.}
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Meanwhile, pour pinto beans into a bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher.
- Spread mashed pinto beans on half of each tortilla. Add ground beef and onions/mushrooms. Add 1/4 of a sliced avocado and 1/4 cup shredded cheese to each. Fold down the other half of the tortilla.
- Bake the quesadillas on a baking sheet at 425 F for 10 minutes. Enjoy!
- Nutrition Analysis (per serving): 460 calories, 23 g fat, 9 g sat fat, 496 mg sodium, 37 g carbohydrate, 9 g fiber, 28 g protein, Vitamin A: 6%, Vitamin C: 11%, Calcium: 20%, Iron 23%, Potassium: 20%
*Update – sorry ya’ll! Small miscalculation in the nutrition facts that I realized when I double checked the recipe. I’ve updated it to be correct now 🙂 *
Share with me: What have you been craving lately? What’s your favorite ‘better-for-you’ dish that you make at home but is still craveworthy?
Chrissy Carroll
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I alwayssss want tacos or quesadillas for dinner. This looks delightful!
I know, I always lean towards Southwestern or Mexican flavors when I’m craving something to eat. Hope you’ll give ’em a shot!
Speaking of food intolerances…I have problems with beef! So we make quesadillas with other meat–even ground pork. You’re making me hungry…
You could totally make this with ground pork, turkey, or chicken! Shredded versions of pork or chicken would work great too 🙂
Looks delicious, I have all the stuff to make this at home so this might become my supper idea.
Awesome – I hope you’ll give ’em a try and then let me know how you like them!
I crave this sort of thing alllllll the time! Great pic, I can almost taste it! Thanks for sharing – only 400 cals NICE!
You’re so welcome! I miscalculated a little the first time so it’s more like 450 calories (fixed it last week) but still – a great indulgence for that amount!