Cooking Light with Food Network: Apple and Brie Quesadillas

This blog is all about taking my favorite Food Network star dishes and cookin' them lean. For this post, I am not using a star recipe...but it was featured in Food Network Magazine, which I believe makes it star quality. The truth is that it just looked too flippin' good to pass up! So here it is! My cookin' lean version of a high-end, bowling alley favorite; Lucky Strike's Apple and Brie Quessadillas.

APPLE and BRIE QUESADILLAS
Recipe adapted from Lucky Strike for Food Network Magazine
SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Granny Smith Apple, chopped
• 1 tablespoon "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" Original Spread
• 4 8-inch Whole Wheat tortillas
• 8 ounces LIGHT Brie cheese, sliced (rind removed, if desired)
• 1 tablespoon whole grain spicy mustard
• 1 tablespoon light maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons "Ready to Serve" Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Bits

DIRECTIONS


Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Melt 1/2 tablespoon "ICBINB", then toss the apple pieces and bacon bits in the melted butter and cook, turning occasionally, until apples are tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Lay the tortillas on a cutting board. Top each with one-quarter each of the grilled apple/bacon medley and brie on one side, then fold the tortillas in half to cover the filling.

Heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of "ICBINB" in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, cook the quesadillas until golden brown and the cheese melts, about 2 minutes per side.

 Meanwhile, mix the mustard and lite maple syrup in a bowl.

Slice each quesadilla into wedges. Drizzle with the maple-mustard syrup.

RESULTS

The major savings in this recipe were incredibly easy. I promise you will feel like you are splurging, not making a lean meal. The flavor is fantastic! We saved by replacing the 4 tbsp of EVOO with just one tbsp of our friend, "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter".  The other big saver was using the light brie in place of the orginal. Let's not forget the calorie saving we get from using light syrup and whole wheat/low-carb tortillas.

Give this recipe a try and see for yourself how yummy this bowling alley inspired dish really is!

And check out the calories you will be saving!

Nutrition Facts(per serving):

BEFORE~515 calories

AFTER~  299.75 calories

SAVES~ 215.25 calories

*PRINT~FRIENDLY*

If you are looking for an easy dinner or app to throw together...this is it! A little slicing, chopping, sprinkling and stirring and you are looking at a unique twist to a classic everyone loves. Even the kids will love the slightly safisticated taste of this quesadilla. Try it out the next time you are craving something different, but don't have the time to dive into something complicated. Sometimes less is more.
 
Enjoy!!!