Is this one of those “we’re only pretending it’s healthy” dishes? Sure, it’s broccoli, but it’s loaded up with cheese so it’s not exactly clean eating. That said, it’s baked instead of fried and doesn’t include any breadcrumbs so it’s not terrible. If you have a child who suddenly (after previously loving it) doesn’t eat broc, this whill change that. It’s also very easy to make and changes it up from the standard roasted veg I usually serve. I took this recipe that popped up on my IG algorithm and updated the ingredients and cooking time slightly. Same vibes, more suited to my fam’s preferred flavor profiles.
Prepare one bag of steam-in-bag broccoli in the microwave according to package directions. Put the steamed broccoli in a food processor with scallions and cheese (I used a combo of Trader Joe’s shredded unexpected cheddar + grated parm). Pulse til it’s a fine texture and then mix in a bowl with salt, white pepper, and 1 egg. Form them into fry shapes with your hands and bake on a silicone sheet at 375 for 30 minutues, turning halfway. Serve with fave sauce (I made a creamy honey mustard and also served with storebought Sir Kensington’s everything sauce and ranch dressing.)
I recognize they look a little weird. My beau came home just as I was taking them out of the oven said “ummm what’s that?” in a super high pitched voice while pulling a face. BUT he ate about 10 of them and said “huh these are pretty good!” by the end of the meal. I’m not necessarily an advocate of sneaking veggies into your kids’ meals so I prefer to just think of this as a fun new broccoli prep. Looking at them, you’re bound to be skeptical but trust that they taste great.
Peaches to Apples 