300 15-Minute Low-Carb Recipes (11 page)

Yield:
2 servings, each with 12 grams of carbohydrates and 9 grams of fiber, for a total of 3 grams of usable carbs and 19 grams of protein.

Each serving also contains 463 milligrams of calcium!

Mondo Giganto Quesadilla-from-Hell

Zowie—this is a serious meal. Thank my husband for the name—he took one look at this big, thick quesadilla, and that's what he called it.

2 low-carb tortillas

3 ounces (85 g) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

3 ounces (85 g) purchased grilled chicken strips

1/2 tablespoon canned sliced jalapeños

1/4 ripe avocado, sliced

Place one of the tortillas in a large, heavy, dry skillet. Spread half the shredded cheese on it, then top with the chicken, jalapeños, and avocado slices, and top with the rest of the cheese. Place the second tortilla on top. Toast over medium heat, with a tilted lid, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the cheese is melting. Flip your Quesadilla-from-Hell carefully—a few bits may escape from the sides because it's so full of yumminess; just tuck the bits back in. Continue toasting until all the cheese is melted. I find it easiest to use a pizza cutter to cut this in quarters right in the pan (turn the heat off first). The quarters are far easier to transfer to plates than the whole bursting-at-the-seams thing.

Yield:
2 servings, each with 14 grams of carbohydrates and 10 grams of fiber, for a total of 4 grams of usable carbs and 29 grams of protein.

Gorgonzola and Pecan Quesadillas

This makes a casually elegant snack or starter for company, but it's too good not to make it just for yourself.

1/4 cup (28 g) chopped pecans

2 teaspoons butter, divided

1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

3 ounces (85 g) crumbled gorgonzola cheese

2 low carb tortillas, large

Over medium-low heat, sauté the pecans in the butter, stirring often, until they smell toasty. Stir in the Cajun seasoning and remove from the heat before they can scorch!

In a big skillet over medium heat, lay one tortilla flat, spread the crumbled gorgonzola evenly over it, and then layer in the pecans. Top with the second tortilla. Let it cook 4 to 5 minutes and then flip carefully. Give it another 3 to 4 minutes. Cut into quarters to remove from the skillet.

Yield:
2 servings, each with 367 calories, 29 grams fat, 10 grams protein, 24 grams carbohydrate, 17 grams dietary fiber, and 7 grams usable carb.

Vermont Quesadillas

If you've ever been to Vermont, you know that every store you pass, no matter how small, has a sign advertising two things: Vermont cheddar and maple syrup. I found myself wondering how I could combine these into a single dish and came up with this—though, of course, Vermonters would consider the sugar-free pancake syrup heresy. It's an unusual and wonderful combination. If you can't get Vermont cheddar, use the best and sharpest cheddar you can get, preferably undyed.

1/4 cup (30 g) chopped walnuts

2 low carb tortillas, large

3 ounces (85 g) extra sharp Vermont cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon (20 g) sugar-free pancake syrup

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce or to taste

Lay your chopped walnuts on a microwaveable plate and give them 90 seconds or so on high.

In the meantime, put your big skillet over medium heat and lay one of the tortillas over it. Using a box grater, shred the cheese right onto the tortilla.

By now the walnuts are toasted. Pull them out of the microwave and sprinkle them evenly over the cheese. Top with the second tortilla and let the whole thing cook a couple of minutes.

Flip carefully and continue cooking until the cheese is melted and the tortilla has a few browned spots.

In the meantime, mix the pancake syrup with the hot sauce. Divide into two small dishes.

When the quesadilla's done, cut it in quarters right there in the skillet and put the quarters on two plates along with the pancake syrup mixture. To eat, dip the edge of the quesadilla in just a teeny bit of the pancake syrup before each bite.

Yield:
2 servings, each with 350 calories, 26 grams fat, 14 grams protein, 22 grams carbohydrate, 15 grams dietary fiber, and 7 grams usable carb.

Tortilla Pizza

This makes a great snack or light lunch. Keep in mind that the sauce is the highest carb part of this; don't go increasing the quantity.

1 low-carb tortilla

1 1/2 tablespoons (23 g) no-sugar-added pizza sauce

1/2 cup (60 g) shredded mozzarella cheese

Place the tortilla on the baking tray of the toaster oven. Spread the pizza sauce over it and then top with the cheese. Bake in the toaster oven at 450°F (230°C, or gas mark 8) until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown (about 5 minutes). Cut into wedges and devour, watching out for pizza burns!

If you don't have a toaster oven, you have a couple of options: You can make the pizza in a conventional oven, but it will take a while to get up to 450°F (230°C, gas mark 8). You can cook it in a dry skillet, like an open-faced quesadilla—but you won't flip it, of course! This will melt the cheese, especially if you cover the pan with a tilted lid, but the cheese won't brown. If I were doing it this way, I'd cook it until the cheese was just melting and then put the whole skillet under the broiler for a minute to brown the cheese. (Make sure your skillet has an ovenproof handle, if you decide to do this.) Or you could just put the pizza sauce and cheese on half of the tortilla and fold it over like a quesadilla.

Yield:
1 serving, with 16 grams of carbohydrates and 9 grams of fiber, for a total of 7 grams of usable carbs (you can drop it a little lower by using really low-carb pizza sauce) and 18 grams of protein.

Not~Just~for~Breakfast Burrito

I know most people won't do this much cooking when they're trying to get out of the house in the morning. However, this makes a killer lunch or supper or even a hefty snack—and if you do want a really solid, incredibly yummy breakfast, be aware that I had this not only made but eaten well inside the 15-minute mark!

1 low-carb tortilla

2 ounces (55 g) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

2 scallions

1/4 ripe avocado

2 eggs

2 tablespoons (33 g) salsa

1 tablespoon (15 g) sour cream

1 tablespoon (1 g) chopped cilantro (optional, but mighty tasty)

Place the tortilla on a plate and spread the cheese over it. Place the plate in your microwave. Don't nuke it yet, though.

Slice the scallions and peel and slice the avocado.

Spray a medium-size skillet with nonstick cooking spray and put it over medium-high heat. Now take a second to go set your microwave for 60 seconds at 50 percent power. Start the microwave, come back, beat the eggs, pour them into the skillet, and scramble them until they're set. Turn off the heat under the pan.

Pull the tortilla with its melted cheese out of the microwave. Arrange the scrambled eggs down the middle and then top with the scallions, avocado, salsa, sour cream, and cilantro if you have some in the house. Fold as best you can—the burrito will be full to bursting!—and eat with the help of several napkins. Unbelievable!