Good news if you love cheese - you don't need to resort to rubbery fat-free varieties to maintain your healthy diet.

As with so many foods, fat equals flavor in cheese. It also gives it a creamy texture and ability to melt. But not all cheeses are equal.

There are plenty of reduced-fat, low-fat, and non-fat cheeses on the market; some are good, many not. There also is plenty of variation between full-fat cheeses; some are naturally higher or lower in fat.

First, the terminology. To be labeled low-fat, a cheese must have 3 grams of fat or less per serving. Reduced-fat cheeses must have at least 25 percent less fat than the full-fat version. Fat-free cheese must have less than .5 gram of fat in a 1-ounce serving.

These turkey and green chili quesadillas use a reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend combined with some shredded extra-sharp Cheddar for a burst of tanginess.

They also call for canned roasted green chilies and sliced deli turkey, so they are quick to prepare. The green chilies are quite mild, so if you want more heat add the optional pickled jalapenos.

Turkey and Green Chili Quesadillas
Start to finish: 20 minutes

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt

3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

2/3 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend

1/3 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

Four 10-inch whole-wheat tortillas

Two 4-ounce cans roasted, diced green chilies

1/4 cup sliced pickled jalapenos (optional)

8 ounces sliced deli turkey breast, preferably smoked (about 8 slices)

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium.

In a small bowl, combine the cilantro, yogurt and sour cream. Set aside. In another small bowl, combine the Mexican cheese blend with the Cheddar cheese.

Place a tortilla on the counter. Spread a quarter of the cheese blend over half of the tortilla, then top with some of the chilies, jalapenos (if using) and about 2 slices of turkey. Repeat with remaining tortillas and ingredients.

Fold the tortillas in half and carefully transfer them to the grill. Grill the quesadillas, gently flipping them once, until they are crispy and golden and the cheese is just melted, 1 1/2 to 3 minutes per side.

To serve, slice each quesadilla into four wedges and serve with sour cream blend.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 325 calories; 11 g fat (4 g saturated); 54 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrate; 26 g protein; 4 g fiber; 831 mg sodium.

By Jim Romanoff
The Associated Press