Zucchini Tots

I had another great Pinterest find this month: Zucchini Tots.  The recipe is from The Curious Country Cook, and was described as a healthy snack for adults.  However, I took one look at the recipe and decided that those tots were also the perfect side dish for, well, tots.  Tots for tots!  They are the perfect size for little hands, and contain just enough cheese and bread to hide their nutritious secret.  Plus the recipe can be made in bulk and frozen, and reheated as needed.  So basically the Zucchini Tot recipe had everything I look for in toddler food. The only problem?  They were so good that I found myself eating half of every batch I made.  Oops!  Well, at least they are healthy for children and adults.

Zucchini Tots

Recipe from The Curious Country Cook

INGREDIENTS

2 medium Zucchinis, grated

2 Eggs

1/2 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese (or cheese of choice)

1/2 Cup Seasoned Breadcrumbs (or plain bread crumbs with your own seasonings)

Salt & Pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and generously grease a mini muffin pan

2.  Place the grated zucchini into a clean dishtowel and wring all the excess water out of the zucchini

3.  In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and season with salt and pepper

4.  Fill each muffin tin with the mixture, making sure it's compacted tight so it will stay together (I used my fingers to mush each tot down).  It should yield 24 tots.

5.  Bake for 18-20 minutes in the preheated oven.  It will be golden brown when done.

6.  Can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for 6 months.  To freeze, set them on parchment paper (or something non-stick) in the freezer, so that the tots are not touching each other.  Once frozen, toss them all in a freezer bag, and keep in the freezer.  To defrost, simply pop in the microwave and heat until warm.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Serving Size:  2 Tots
Calories:  54
Fat:  3
Carbs:  5
Protein:  3