A different way to get some veggies
Some days I really love broccoli. Lightly roasted in a pan with some olive oil, a little garlic, some salt and pepper, a squeeze of lemon, and topped off with parmesan. Delicious. Unfortunately, my enthusiasm doesn't always rub off on my son.
Don't get me wrong... sometimes he loves it (adding grated cheese works wonders), but others not so much. But as they say, variety is the spice of life. And mixing it up with these cheesy broccoli bites has been the perfect way for him to enjoy his vegetables, even when he's had enough of them.
And anyway, doesn't everything sound better with the word "cheesy" in front of it.
Cheesy Broccoli Bites Nutritional Stuff
Broccoli is a great source of vitamin C and the mineral chromium and is also full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients.
Cheese in general, is a good source of healthy fats, protein, and calcium, especially for children under the age of 2. Goat's cheese, in particular, has a better fat profile than cow's cheese (meaning it contains even more of the good fats). It's also a good source of phosphorus.
Mozzarella is a classic Italian cheese and if you use the authentic one made from buffalo milk you will add to the healthy fat content of the meal which is preferable for children under the age of 2.
Potatoes provide a good amount of vitamin C and carbohydrates to the meal.
Oats are an additional source of complex carbohydrates as well as fiber and the minerals copper and manganese.
Cheesy Broccoli Bites Preparation Tips
If you're not a fan of broccoli, try substituting it for other vegetables that aren't too high in water content (which will affect the way they bake). Like cauliflower or carrots.
Either way, don't over-process them or they will release too much water – on the food processor, the "pulse" button is your friend!
Instead of plain potatoes, you can also use sweet potatoes – they might be a little too sweet for this mix if you're using carrots instead of broccoli though.
Either way, don't overcook your potatoes – you want them still a little hard as they will still be going into the oven.
If you want to go the extra mile, try rolling your mixture in breadcrumbs or a little extra cheese for an extra special version.
Let us know which option you chose and how it turned out!
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Broccoli Tots
Ingredients
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 cup potatoes
- 2 oz mozzarella balls dried and crumbled
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ cup oats
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 390°F
- Wash, peel and slice the potatoes, add to a pot of water, bring to boil and simmer until potatoes are just about cooked.
- Wash the broccoli florets and blend in a food processor until crumbly.
- Add the mozzarella balls (make sure they are dry and crumbled), oregano, salt and garlic clove and blend.
- Once the potatoes are cooked let them cool and then add them to the blender.
- Mix until combined.
- Add the oats and blend on low speed.
- Add the breadcrumbs and mix with a spatula.
- Coat a stainless steel baking sheet with olive oil (don't use parchment paper as the tots won't crisp up)
- Roll the mixture into sausage-like shapes (you should get about 8-10) and place on a baking tray.
- Bake for ~30 mins (flip after 20 minutes so both sides crisp up).
Madalina
This recipe looks amazing but I'm wondering if it's suitable for my 7 month old?
Ana
Hi Madalina,
It should be ok if your baby is baby-led weaned and used to eating similar things. Also make sure your baby has tried each of the ingredients separately so there is no risk of allergy. When baking you want it to be on the softer side, not as crispy as in the picture, soft enough that you can mash it between your fingers. You can make them now, give the baby to try and if you think it is not suitable, freeze and try when they are 9-10 months old.
Hope this helps!
Ana
Madalina
Thank you very much for your detailed answer! Looking forward making these for my little one 🙂