Recipe: Baked Broccoli Tots

Do you have picky eaters that typically skip their green veggies at dinner? This is the perfect recipe to introduce broccoli to those who won't come near it! Resembling our childhood favorite tater tots, this is a healthier take on the fried potato snack, baking (instead of frying) fiber-rich broccoli (instead of taters). Five of these irresistible tots are only 129 calories and 6 Weight Watchers SmartPoints, so get chomping!

Pro tips:

• Instead of dirtying a separate bowl to beat the egg, beat the egg in the large mixing bowl first, then add the rest of the ingredients to it.
• If you'd rather use frozen broccoli to save time cutting it up, that's an easy swap! Just cook it according to package directions and continue with our recipe. We used fresh broccoli because it's typically cheaper — and picking out your own produce is never a bad thing.

Recipe: Baked Broccoli Tots

Prep time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook time: 28-30 minutes
Yield: 5 servings
Serving size: 5 broccoli tots

Ingredients

• 12 ounces fresh broccoli florets (about 1 head)
• 1 egg, beaten
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• ½ cup green onions, thinly sliced (about 4)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat, or lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Bring a medium sauce pan of water to a boil and carefully drop the florets in the water. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, until fork tender. Drain and run cold water over the florets to quickly cool them down.
3. Spread the florets out on a plate lined with several paper towels to dry.
4. When the broccoli is mostly dried, coarsely chop it up small.
5. In a large mixing add the chopped broccoli, beaten egg, cheese, panko, green onions, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper.
6. Stir the ingredients together and then shape tater tot-shaped mounds using about 1½ tablespoons of the broccoli mixture.
7. Bake on the prepared baking sheet for 16-18 minutes, flipping over halfway through baking time to ensure even browning.
8. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce, or plain.

Nutrition Information
Per Serving: (5 broccoli tots)
Calories: 129
Calories from fat: 36
Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 9g
Cholesterol: 47mg
Sodium: 442mg
Carbohydrates: 12g
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 2g
Protein: 9g
SmartPoints: 3

The nutrition content of recipes on Popculture.com have been calculated by Registered Dietitian, Jessica Penner, of Smart Nutrition.