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Substitute a flour tortilla with a corn tortilla to make this cheesy corn quesadilla packed with fewer calories and more fiber.
Temptation, thy name is Mexican food.

That's what many readers tell me. They want to lose weight, but that resolve often flies out the window as soon as the server at their favorite restaurant sets down a bowl of chips and salsa.

Munch your way to the bottom of that bowl and you'll rack up hundreds of calories before dinner even arrives.

But that calorie count is tame compared to lots of the offerings at Mexican restaurants. Many of those dishes contain at least 1,000 calories even without beans and rice on the side. You'd have to jump rope for at least an hour to burn that off.

And some of those meals — like Double-Stacked Club Quesadilla — are closer to 2,000 calories. Want to work off those calories? You'll need to run at least 11 miles.

Excuse me, waiter, I'd like to change my order.

There are healthier options that can satisfy those cravings for Mexican food — especially if you stay in your own kitchen.

One of my favorites is a quesadilla that I came up with after tinkering with a Cooking Lightrecipe.

Quesadillas are often made with flour tortillas, but this recipe features corn tortillas because they have fewer calories and more fiber.

I substitute green onions for red ones, and I also use a Mexican cheese blend made with 2 percent milk instead of smoked mozzarella. That saves calories and fat grams, and I think it also improves the flavor.

Cooking Light's version calls for a few sun-dried tomato sprinkles,

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but I use a larger amount of fresh tomato to boost the amount of vegetables in this dish.

Here's another reason to use fresh tomatoes: They have a fraction of the calories you'll find in sun-dried tomatoes. A cup of chopped fresh tomatoes has 38 calories while a cup of sun-dried tomatoes can contain 234 calories and 15.5 fat grams.

One of my quesadillas has just 262 calories and 8.4 fat grams — you'd only have to walk about two miles to burn it off.

KATHY'S CHEESY CORN QUESADILLA

1/4 teaspoon olive oil

Two 6-inch corn tortillas

1/3 cup fresh corn kernels (or frozen kernels, thawed)

1 tablespoon chopped green onion

1/4 cup tomato, chopped, seeded and cored

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup Mexican-blend cheese made with 2 percent milk, finely shredded

Cooking spray

Optional garnishes: chopped tomato, green onion or salsa

Put the olive oil on one side of a tortilla. Place second tortilla over oiled side of first tortilla and rub tortillas together to spread oil evenly over both of them.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly coat pan with cooking spray. Add corn and cook four minutes or until the corn is lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add onion, tomato and pepper to pan and saut the mixture for one minute. Wipe pan with paper towels and lightly recoat it with cooking spray.

Heat pan over medium-high heat. Place one tortilla, oiled side down, in pan. Sprinkle two tablespoons of cheese over tortilla and top with vegetable mixture. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and top with the other tortilla, oiled side up. Cook two minutes on each side or until cheese melts and the tortillas are crisp.

Serve immediately, garnishing with onion, tomato and/or salsa if desired. Serves one.

Per serving (not including garnishes): 262 calories, 37 carb grams, 40 mg sodium, 5 fiber grams, 8.4 fat grams

— Adapted from a Cooking Light recipe

WE'LL SLIM IT DOWN FOR YOU

Do you have a favorite food or popular recipe that you'd like to see made healthier? Send your ideas and recipes, along with a daytime phone number, to (316) 268-6266 or kmanweiler@wichitaeagle.com or:

Don't Say Diet

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