Creamy Kale Quesadilla

These vegan quesadillas are a satisfying great plant-based alternative to everyone's favorite dish.

Recipe developed by Clarissa Paimanta, RD and tested by Jennifer Krasilovsky, KidneyRD Intern 2021

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Course: Appetizer, Main, Sandwich, Snack

Cuisine: Mexican, Southwestern, Tex-mex

Keyword: Low Phosphorus, Low Potassium, Low Protein, Plant-Based

Diet Type: CKD, Dialysis, VLPD

Servings: servings

Calories: 346kcal

Author: Clarissa Paimanta, RD

Ingredients

½ cup almond milk
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 teaspoon tapioca flour or cornstarch
3 tablespoons avocado oil divided
½ onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 ½ cups kale tough center ribs removed then chopped
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon salt to taste
¼ teaspoon pepper to taste
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
2 8- inch whole wheat tortilla
½ cup coconut milk yogurt to serve

Instructions

In a small bowl, add almond milk, all purpose flour, and tapioca flour or cornstarch. Whisk until no lumps remain. Set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add onions and sauté until fragrant and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and kale; cook until the kale softens, about 3-5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of water if the onions start to burn before the kale cooks.
Once the kale is softened, add nutritional yeast, paprika, turmeric, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper (optional).
Take the bowl with almond milk and flour mixture. Whisk once more to make sure no flour lumps remain, then pour mixture into the skillet and stir through the kale. The mixture will thicken quickly. Continue cooking for another minute to fully cook out the raw flour, then remove from the heat.
On a clean surface, lay out two tortillas. Divide the creamy kale mixture between the tortillas, then fold each tortilla in half.
In a clean skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-low heat. Carefully place the folded tortillas into the skillet and cook for about 1-2 minutes each side until golden brown and crispy.
Slice and serve with coconut milk yogurt on the side.

Notes

You may have heard that nuts, beans, and whole grains are not a great choice for a kidney-friendly diet because they are high in phosphorus. Wondering why we include them in many of our recipes? We include beans, nuts, and whole grains because only about 40% of phosphorus found in these plant foods are absorbed by humans. This makes them a good fit for most people's diets! If you have questions about adding these foods to your diet, please reach out to your dietitian.

Nutrition

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