All of our lives are so busy, that many times we find ourselves at a loss for ideas of what to make for lunch or dinner. The gluten free lifestyle generally doesn’t lend itself to the consumption of commercially available fast food. Usually, if it doesn’t contain outright gluten in the meal, it is at the very least severely cross-contaminated, putting one’s health at risk, not to mention all the other ingredients, i.e. preservatives, flavorings, coloring, etc. Who wants to eat that anyway? This simple recipe has been an easy standby in our family for some time. It has stood the test of time as a quick meal after school, or coming home after a long day at work, whenever there is not enough time for a more elaborate lunch or dinner.

This recipe is extremely versatile in that it can be served in a multitude of different ways; essentially whatever you have available in your refrigerator or pantry. Any number of greens, zucchini, or other shredded vegetables are a great addition to the recipe. Instead of tomato sauce, you can substitute curry sauce, or salsa.

If you are ambitious enough to make your own gluten free tortillas, we salute you. However, since we are talking about a fast food option, we used the Trader Joe’s ready made rice tortillas. We highly recommend keeping a supply of these in your refrigerator for just such occasions. They also make great wraps and roll-ups.

Some of our favorite ways to serve this recipe are alongside sliced apples, carrot sticks, salads, or more rarely so, potato chips.

To make this recipe, you will need the following ingredients. It serves 2 people.

Quesadillas

•  4 Trader Joe’s Rice Tortillas
• Grated cheese of your choice, our favorite is Trader Joe’s raw cheddar (you can also use sliced cheese, or non-dairy options which also work really well).
• Tomato sauce
• a couple of handfuls of fresh spinach leaves
• Side serving options of your choice, i.e. fresh apple slices, potato chips, avocados, salsa, salad.

Preheat the oven to 350° F / 180° C.

Place 2 rice tortillas on a cookie sheet, add approx. 2 Tbsp. of tomato sauce, a handful of spinach leaves per tortilla, followed by the shredded cheese. We usually use about 1 oz. of cheese per tortilla, but you can easily adapt this to your own taste. Finally, top with a second rice tortilla. Bake in the oven until the cheese melts, and the quesadilla is slightly crispy and golden brown.

Just in case you are thinking we are being paid by Trader Joe’s for mentioning their name so often, no, we receive no monetary compensation whatsoever. We just like to shop there!