Gimme Dem Tots: Broccoli Tots

broccoli tots

Who doesn’t love a good tot. Just saying the word tot puts a stupid smile on my face. The type of smile you get when you know you’re about to say something to someone that will make their eyes roll so hard that they might go blind. 

I used to have good ol’ tater tots in middle school and high school and fondly remember the crunchy and oily combination that left me craving more. Well actually, it was probably the blood sugar spike that left me craving more, but let’s not get technical. 

Tots are simply the sh*t, but can also make you feel like sh*t if you eat the kind you find in the frozen aisle. So I’ve created a Balanced Babe approved tot that will satisfy your carb craving while also delivering some vitamins and minerals into your system. 

These tots are made with potatoes and broccoli. I know that potatoes get a bad rap as not being an ideal starch to eat. But that’s because when we think of potatoes, we think of baked potatoes topped with sour cream and cheese and butter and pretty much everything that does nothing for you. 

To start, potato contains around 160 calories, adequate amounts of Vitamin C and potassium (but note that the potassium is primarily found in the skin). So don’t freak out if you see recipes that include potatoes, as long as the additional ingredients are clean.

broccoli tots

Vegan Broccoli Tots

Ingredients:

  • 2 russet potatoes
  • 12 oz fresh broccoli
  • 1/4 onion thinly diced
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese or vegan Parmesan cheese (You can find vegan Parm at Whole Foods or Mariano’s)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Chop the potatoes (do not peel them), and place them in a pot of water. Bring the water to a boil and boil the potatoes for about 10-15 minutes until you can easily pierce a fork through the pieces.
  3. Remove the potatoes with a pasta fork and place them into a colander, rinse with cold water and set aside.
  4. Place the broccoli florets into the pot of water and bring the pot to a boil and blanch the broccoli for about 4 minutes until you can easily pierce them with a fork.
  5. Move the potatoes to a large mixing bowl, and then pour the pot of broccoli into the colander above the sink to drain the broccoli. Rinse the broccoli with cold water, set aside.
  6. With your pasta fork, mash the potatoes in the mixing bowl.
  7. On a cutting board, dice the onion, and then thinly dice the cooked broccoli, transfer to the mixing bowl.
  8. Add the seasonings, salt and pepper, and parmesan cheese. With a fork or with your hands, mix everything together until well blended.
  9. Take a spoon and transfer spoonfuls of the mixture onto a baking sheet. Then you can shape the spoonfuls into cylinder shapes or circles. Place in the oven and bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes or until crispy.
  10. Transfer out of the oven and serve with ketchup or ranch sauce, and enjoy!

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