I found this basic recipe at erhardtseat.com. I was so impressed by the simplicity and flavours that I had to share it with you! I obviously made my own adjustments to it to make it a bit healthier. As it is, it is quite healthy, but there were a few things I could do to improve the health benefits.
I always try to swap out butter whenever I see it in a recipe. It is an easy swap in most cases and doesn’t make a lot of difference to the outcome.
Another typical swap is the regular white flour tortillas to a multigrain option. Not difficult, but better for you.
Next is to just add more vegetables. Variety is better than more of the same thing. I also like using mushrooms, but they are easy to leave out if you are not a fan, but they are not really noticeable anyway, so give them a go 😊.
One thing I didn’t swap was the avocado. I just made a guacamole instead of just using avocado. But if you don’t want to bother with guacamole, just used smashed avo.
If you are looking at making it a lighter meal, use a lot less avocado and cheese. These are where the kilojoules (calories) pile up. You could also consider using a low fat cheese.
I hope you find this recipe as enjoyable as we did. I would love to hear from you if you have made this meal to know what you thought and any changes you made.
Healthy Vegetarian Quesadillas with Sweet Potato
Another easy and tasty vegetarian meal that doesn't seem like it is vegetarian.
Ingredients
- For the quesadillas
- For the guacamole
- To serve (optional)
Method
- 1
Prick the sweet potato with a fork in about 3 places and lightly spray with EVOO. Wrap in paper towel and microwave for about 10 minutes, or until soft all the way through. Alternatively, bake in the oven at 180ºC for 20 minutes or until soft.
- 2
While the sweet potato cooks, lightly spray a large frypan with EVOO and place over high heat. Add the mushrooms and stir regularly until cooked through and fragrant.
- 3
Add the corn, black beans, eggplant, capsicum and jalapeños. Stir and let them heat through for about 5 minutes. Add the bok choy and cook for a further 1 to 2 minutes.
- 4
Sprinkle with the Mexican chilli powder and stir it through. Remove the veggies from the pan and give the pan a quick clean.
- 5
Make the guacamole: place the avocado, tomato and red onion in a small bowl with a squeeze of half a lemon and freshly ground black pepper. Mash with a fork to your preferred consistency, then adjust with more lemon juice and pepper to taste.
- 6
Lightly spray 1 tortilla with EVOO and place it oil side down in the frypan. Spread 1/4 of the sweet potato over half the tortilla and about 1/4 cup of guacamole over the other half. Add about 1 cup of the veggie mix on top of the sweet potato and top with grated cheese.
- 7
Turn the heat to medium-low and let the tortilla heat through and lightly brown underneath. When the cheese is mostly melted, fold the tortilla in half along the line between the avocado and sweet potato. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- 8
Top with yoghurt, salsa, a squeeze of lemon juice and either coriander or parsley.
Nutrition (per serving)
Estimated from the FSANZ Australian Food Composition Database. Actual values will vary depending on the specific products used — not a substitute for individual dietary advice.
