When I think of a classic school lunch I imagine chicken nuggets and a side of tater tots. If you've ever seen the movie Napoleon Dynamite, you probably remember the scene where Napoleon shoves a handful of tater tots into his pocket for later only to have them smashed by a bully in class when he won't share. And lets be real, tater tots are pretty darn yummy. But they aren't necessarily the best for you, especially if you're just getting them from the freezer section. So when I stumbled upon a recipe for "Broccoli Tots" I was intrigued.
As the name suggests, the recipe includes broccoli and lots of it. I bought two bags of broccoli and boiled them. Once cool enough, I chopped the broccoli pretty finely and then added the rest of the ingredients: breadcrumbs (I used whole wheat), cheese (low fat) and 2 eggs. Once everything is mixed, you get your hands in there and form the mix into tots!
Mine might look a bit rough around the edges but they tasted great and left me with plenty of leftovers. These are perfect as a side to a meal or even as a snack--super portable and easy to pop in your mouth.
Tip: make sure to dry the broccoli before you chop it. If you don't, you'll end up with extra moisture in your mix which could throw things off. On the other hand, if your mix turns out too dry and won't hold together, add a splash of water or even oil.
Tip: make sure to dry the broccoli before you chop it. If you don't, you'll end up with extra moisture in your mix which could throw things off. On the other hand, if your mix turns out too dry and won't hold together, add a splash of water or even oil.