Veggie Tots
I have to admit I was pretty excited to try this recipe, the only thing I was more excited about was when my husband tried them and liked them!!! They were so good we ended up with only 1 left, so naturally I had to finish them off.
Ingredients:
- 2 slices whole wheat sandwich bread torn into slices
Note: you can make this gluten-free by using oats and a little bit of cheese as a binder instead.
- 1/2 of a large head of cauliflower, chopped into florets (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 large head of broccoli, chopped into florets and stems removed (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- Add any of your favorite spices, I added a little bit of garlic, and some oregano.
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place your bread and 1/2 cup water in a bowl and let soak for 15 minutes. (You can skip this step if you are making the gluten-free alternative).
3. Fill a medium pot of water about half-way and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli and cauliflower and return to a boil for 1 minute. Immediately remove from stove and run under cool water. Alternately you can steam the vegetables. You want them tender but crisp so that they don’t make mushy tots.
4. Combine the veggies, egg, and spices into a food processor. Strain the water out of the bread bowl and squeeze the bread. Add the bread to the veggie mixture. Pulse until the veggies are chopped but NOT pureed.
5. Scoop and place on a cookie sheet. After scooping I shaped mine into rectangular shapes so they looked like a tot.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until they are slightly browned and firm. Serve warm.
These reheat great! So you can serve them as leftovers, but at my house we didn’t have any.
Optional: You can also add about 1/4 cup parmesan cheese to the mixture. It adds a little bit more flavor but also adds more calories. I didn’t think they needed it, but my husband preferred the cheesy ones.
You can also make them all the way up to baking and freeze them. Then you can just pop them in the oven on a busy weeknight for a healthy side.
Recipe adapted from: https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/cauliflower-and-broccoli-tots