Strawberry Chunky Monkey Dessert Quesadilla (Gluten Free, Vegan)

This post is generously sponsored by BFree Foods. 

You can't be a foodie and have not heard of the Chunky Monkey flavor combination. I mean, who doesn't love chocolate, peanut butter, banana and crunchy walnuts all in one bite? While there are plenty of different ways to get your Chunky Monkey fix, I'm ditching ice cream and brownies for the ultimate easy gluten free dessert (or special breakfast): a Chunky Monkey dessert quesadilla.

To be honest, this gluten free quesadilla recipe popped into my head during my second night alone in my new apartment. I was lonely, hungry and craving some gluten free comfort food...so, of course, a dessert quesadilla filled with fruit, nut butter and chocolate sounded like a winner!

Just picture it: one lightly toasted, soft tortilla stuffed with gooey banana coins, crunchy sunflower seeds and caramelized strawberries, which add a refreshing tartness to every bite. Of course, we can't forget about the rich vegan chocolate spread or the "nutty" sunflower butter gluing this dessert quesadilla together.

The best part about this vegan quesadilla recipe? Okay, well, there are actually two things that make this the best gluten free quesadilla ever. First, thanks to BFree Foods' multigrain wrap, this dessert quesadilla is gluten free, dairy free, egg free and high in fiber. Depending on the spreads you use, you can also make this vegan quesadilla recipe low fat (with a powdered peanut butter, for example) and nut free (by sticking to sunflower butter like I did).

The second reason you're going to love this dessert quesadilla? You can make it in 10 minutes or less!

To get started, gather the following ingredients:

Ingredients for One Gluten Free and Vegan Quesadilla:

- One gluten free (and vegan) wrap/tortilla (I love BFree Foods' multigrain wrap since it's soft, foldable and free of the funky aftertaste often found in gluten free baked goods).
- 2 medium strawberries, sliced thinly
- 1/4-1/2 of a ripe banana, sliced (depending on the size of your tortilla and your love of banana)
- Chocolate spread of choice (I used Rigoni di Asiago's dairy free chocolate spread) or melted chocolate chips (use Enjoy Life Foods' for an allergy-friendly chocolate)
- Nut or seed butter of choice (I used sunflower butter)
- Handful of raw sunflower seeds (or alternate seeds/nuts)
- Liberal shake of cinnamon
- Tiny bit of cooking oil of choice (I used coconut oil)

How to Make Your Epic Dessert Quesadilla: 

This gluten free quesadilla is about as easy as it gets. First, spread a liberal amount of your chocolate and nut/seed butter spreads onto your tortilla. If you're using two tortillas, put one spread on each tortilla; if you're using one wrap (like I did), cover it with half chocolate and half nut butter. Or mix your spreads together into swirled goodness. It's up to you!

Next, layer on your strawberries and bananas, sprinkling the sunflower seeds on top. Finally, add your cinnamon. I like a loooot of cinnamon, so I sprinkled on quite a lot, but adjust to your taste buds.

Now to cook! Placing a large sauce pan on your stove top, turn the heat up to medium/high and add a tiny bit of cooking oil (I probably used 1/8 of a teaspoon of coconut oil). You can also ditch the oil entirely, but I was craving an extra crispy quesadilla this time!

Once the pan has been heated for a minute or so, add your quesadilla. Let it cook for around two minutes (or until you see it starting to brown) on one side. Flip and repeat until both sides are golden brown and your bananas and berries are oozing and caramelized.

Plop your dessert quesadilla on a plate, add a little more (optional) nut butter, chocolate spread, sunflower seeds and strawberries, and dig in! As always, treat this gluten free recipe as a template to experiment with. One of my favorite portable gluten free breakfasts is a berry, banana and nut butter quesadilla. I often cook them the night before, store them in the fridge and devour them on-the-go the next day!

You could also make this vegan quesadilla recipe even more decadent by serving it with banana ice cream (or your favorite vegan ice cream) as a healthier dessert. From spices like nutmeg and cacao to other summer fruits like blueberries or cherries to other flavored nut butters or different chocolate varieties, the options for this vegan quesadilla recipe are nearly endless.

Like this recipe? Then tweet it out by clicking here: "Quesadillas just got an upgrade w/ my #glutenfree & #vegan Chunky Monkey #dessert Quesadilla! via @collegeceliackc http://bit.ly/2v29QrP"

True, this Chunky Monkey gluten free quesadilla didn't magically make of my worries or loneliness disappear. As I've shared in previous posts, life is a little crazy for me right now. I'm in a brand new town (and state), living on my own for the first time, preparing to attend grad school and teach a college class, and trying to live the fullest every day.

However, you've also probably heard that "stressed" spelled backward is "dessert" - and whether you're feeling stressed or just craving a chocolate treat, this vegan dessert is exactly what you need!

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Strawberry Chunky Monkey Dessert Quesadilla (Gluten Free, Vegan)

by Casey Cromwell / Casey the College Celiac August-8-2017

You can't be a foodie and have not heard of the Chunky Monkey flavor combination. I mean, who doesn't love chocolate, peanut butter, banana and crunchy walnuts all in one bite? While there are plenty of different ways to get your Chunky Monkey fix, I'm ditching ice cream and brownies for the ultimate easy gluten free dessert (or special breakfast): a Chunky Monkey dessert quesadilla.

Ingredients

• 1 gluten free and vegan wrap
• 2 medium strawberries, sliced
• 1/4-1/2 ripe banana, sliced
• chocolate spread of choice
• nut or seed butter of choice
• Handful sunflower seeds
• Liberal shake cinnamon
• Tiny bit cooking oil of choice (I used coconut oil)

Instructions

1. First, spread a liberal amount of your chocolate and nut/seed butter spreads onto your tortilla. If you're using two tortillas, put one spread on each tortilla; if you're using one wrap (like I did), cover it with half chocolate and half nut butter. Or mix your spreads together into swirled goodness. It's up to you!2. Next, layer on your strawberries and bananas, sprinkling the sunflower seeds on top. 3. Finally, add your cinnamon. I like a loooot of cinnamon, so I sprinkled on quite a lot, but adjust to your taste buds.4. Now to cook! Placing a large sauce pan on your stove top, turn the heat up to medium/high and add a tiny bit of cooking oil (I probably used 1/8 of a teaspoon of coconut oil). You can also ditch the oil entirely, but I was craving an extra crispy quesadilla this time!5. Once the pan has been heated for a minute or so, add your quesadilla. Let it cook for around two minutes (or until you see it starting to brown) on one side. Flip and repeat until both sides are golden brown and your bananas and berries are oozing and caramelized.6. Plop your dessert quesadilla on a plate, add a little more (optional) nut butter, chocolate spread, sunflower seeds and strawberries, and dig in!

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 5 mins Total time: 10 mins Yield: 1 small quesadilla

*I received products from BFree Foods free of charge in return for an honest review. However, all opinions, photographs, and recipes are mine. Thank you for supporting what supports Casey the College Celiac.*


What would you fill this quesadilla with? Or what's your favorite comfort food? Tell me in the comments!