I don’t where I heard it–maybe it was a real estate agent–but I’ve never forgotten the words, “Presentation is everything!” When I was studying home economics back in my college days, that was one big lesson I took away from a course in meal planning. Food can be ever so healthy, but if it doesn’t look enticing, who’s going to want to eat it? And if your kids have some kind of mental block against veggies, how it looks is going to make a big difference at the dinner table.
So if your kids turn up their noses to a super food like broccoli, one presentation strategy is to hide it in some finger foods. That’s why Broccoli Tots are so appealing. They are bite size, easy to eat with your hands, fun to dip in creamy or colorful sauces and–bite, gulp–in goes the broccoli!
Oh, and adults like ’em too.
CHEF’S NOTE: Try them with our Heart-Smart ketchup or our Ranch Salad Dressing recipe.
Broccoli Tots
Ingredients
- 3 cups of broccoli florets
- 2 T flaxseed meal mixed with 6 T hot water
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 T quinoa or chickpea flour
- 1 tsp miso paste
- 1-2 T hummus
Instructions
- Steam broccoli in a steamer basket for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together flaxseed meal and water in a mug or small bowl. Set this aside.
- When the broccoli is done, allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes before chopping into bite-size pieces.
- In a mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients, along with the flaxseed meal mixture (sometimes called a flax egg). In adding hummus, start with one tablespoon. Stir together til it forms a dough. Add more hummus if it seems a little dry.
- Form into tater tots or balls. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Bake for 18-20 minutes in a 400 degree preheated oven. Flip them half way through. Cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.
