Savory Cheese Broccoli Bites

My son’s latest favorite snack is cheese broccoli bites. He loves them and from what I have heard, his friends at school do too! They are great as a side in a school lunch or for some light snacking in front of the TV. I mean, what’s not to love about them? Healthy and tasty, that’s all I’m looking for.

I usually use bread crumbs to make them but I have also had success with other ingredients. If you are doing the GAPS diet or simply want to avoid grains, you can use almond flour. And if you have gluten sensitivity, try rice crackers instead. This recipe works for everyone!

And you can also make your own homemade bread crumbs if you want to. Bake slices sprouted or sourdough bread to harden them and then use a food processor to grind them into tiny bread crumbs.

I spice up my broccoli bites with some simple homemade Italian seasoning. Here’s the recipe:

Necessary equipment:

• a small glass jar with a lid

Ingredients:

• 2 T. of oregano
• 2 T. of basil
• 2 T. of thyme
• 2 T. of rosemary
• 2 T. of marjoram

Instructions:

1. Put all the spices into a small glass jar.
2. Cover with a lid and shake well to combine.

And now the recipe for cheese broccoli bites:

Necessary equipment:

• a saucepan with a lid
• a colander
• a cheese grate
• a food processor
• a large mixing bowl
• a jelly roll pan
• parchment paper
• a spatula
• a cooling rack

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of broccoli
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup of bread crumbs OR almond flour OR crushed rice crackers
• 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 1/2 t. of homemade Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Cut the broccoli into small florets.
2. Pour some water into your saucepan and bring to a boil.
3. Place a colander over the saucepan and transfer the broccoli florets inside.
4. Cover with a lid and keep steaming the broccoli until it’s softened.
5. Use a food processor to turn the steamed broccoli into little pieces.
6. Grate the cheddar cheese.
7. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
8. In a large mixing bowl, combine broccoli, eggs, bread crumbs, grated cheese, and all the seasonings. Add more bread crumbs if mixture does not stick together.
9. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
10. Form small broccoli bites with your hands and place them on the pan.
11. Bake for 15 minutes, turn to other side, and bake another 10 minutes.
12. Take out of the oven and leave to cool on a cooling rack.

Enjoy!