Protein Rich Breakfast Quesadilla Recipe
When it comes to understanding what you are putting in your body as an athlete, a great place to start is cooking more of your food at home. And cooking does not have to be complicated!
One of the easiest meals to make are these protein-rich quesadillas stuffed with scrambled eggs, beans and herbs for breakfast, brunch or dinner. And it’s a sneaky way to get more vegetables in.
This recipe as written yields 1 folded quesadilla; multiply as necessary. You can make 2 at once in a large skillet.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- Hot sauce
- Pinch of salt
- ⅓ cup cooked pinto beans or black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 teaspoons butter or extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ green or red bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped green onion
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon chopped pickled jalapeño (optional)
- 1 medium (8″) whole grain tortilla
- ½ cup (packed) grated sharp cheddar cheese
- Salsa or additional hot sauce, for serving
Steps to Make It
- To prepare the eggs: In a bowl, whisk the eggs (optional to add hot sauce here) and salt until they are well blended. Add the beans and set aside.
- To cook the eggs: Melt the butter in a medium-sized skillet (either well-seasoned cast iron or nonstick) over medium heat until it’s bubbling. Pour in the egg mixture and cook, stirring often, until the eggs are just set, about 1 to 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl to pause the cooking process (the eggs will finish cooking in the quesadilla). Stir in the green onion, cilantro and bell pepper and jalapeño.
- To cook the quesadilla: In a separate, large skillet, warm the tortilla over medium heat, flipping occasionally. Once the pan and tortilla are warm, sprinkle one-half of the cheese over one-half of the tortilla. Top the cheese with scrambled eggs, then top the scrambled eggs with the remaining cheese.
- Press the empty tortilla halve over the toppings. Let the quesadilla cook until golden and crispy on the bottom (don’t stop cooking too soon!), about 1 to 2 minutes, reducing the heat if necessary to prevent burning the tortilla. Flip it and cook until the second side is golden and crispy.
- Immediately remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the quesadilla to a cutting board. Let it cool for a few minutes to give it time to set, then slice each quesadilla into 2 slices with a very sharp knife. Serve immediately, with your favorite salsa and/or hot sauce on the side.
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Chioma Atanmo
Nutritionist and Wellness Coach
