With my two boys, it’s rare that they ask for specific things for dinner at this age. Lucky for me, they are pretty great eaters and they enjoy a variety of foods! But this week, Noah had a special request! “Mom, could you make that recipe that has trees, cheese, and that stuff that’s like sticky rice?”
It took me a moment, but when I realized what he was asking for, I was so glad because these Broccoli Cheese Quinoa Bites from Every Day Dishes are one of my favorites! Thankfully, they keep well for lunch the next day, so I sent the boys to school with a meal they were extra excited about! And the fun thing is — they don’t even need a fork. You can totally eat these bites with your hands!
We follow the recipe as recommended, but make a few substitutes that work better for our family. My boys are sensitive to large amounts of dairy so we substitute Daiya brand vegan shredded cheese for cheddar and use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan cheese. Noah doesn’t love green onion, so I just add a few more trees (translation: broccoli) to up the veggie count! For a little extra nutritional value, we sprinkle Himalayan sea salt instead of table salt, too. What healthy substitutes does your family use often?
You will need:
- 2 cups of cooked quinoa
- 1 cup finely chopped broccoli, firmly packed
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated (or we use Daiya vegan shredded cheese)
- 2 green onions, sliced (optional)
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese (or we use nutritional yeast)
- 1/2 tsp. pink Himalayan salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly coat with cooking spray.
- Add cooked quinoa, chopped broccoli, and Daiya vegan shredded cheese to a large bowl and toss well.
- Then, thoroughly mix in eggs, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper.
- Use a spoon to scoop the mixture onto the baking sheet like you would with cookie dough. Don’t worry about making a perfect ball, but press the ingredients in tightly together with your fingers.
- Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.
- Let cool for 5 minutes and enjoy!
Click here for the original recipe and other simple dishes that are easy to make!
