These little bites are an ode to a classic school lunch entrée, the chicken nugget meal, minus the chicken and cafeteria smell. Rick and I felt about 10 years old eating them and enjoyed the bursting flavors of vegetables and the crunch from the exterior texture. This meal is a more mature, healthy version of the nugget. A great eat for everyone, especially your kids. However, I recommend making these on a weekend, and not trying to whip these up after work/on a school night. There are a few stages in the process and it’s best to have a couple of hours. Don’t fret most of the time the nuggets are setting in the freezer or the veggies are baking. Also, the recipes yields a good amount, so you can make enough to keep in your freezer and pop in the oven.
Also, I paired these nuggets with a homemade ketchup. It was an experiment that went alright. Phew.
P.S. For my vegetarian friends. I made a note on a substitute for the eggs. Shout out to Julie S.
Gluten Free Veggie Nuggets
Need:
- 3 medium russet potatoes or 2 large
- 2 cups of chopped carrots
- 1 1/3 cups broccoli florets
- 1 1/2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup diced yellow onion
- salt and coarsely ground black pepper
- a few pinches of onion powder, sweet paprika, and whatever favorite savory seasonings you have.
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- a few teaspoons of olive oil for baking
- For Exterior Nugget
- 1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten (substitute eggs for apple cider vinegar, mustard or water to act as glue for breading)
- 2 cups of gluten-free bread crumbs or corn meal
How:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degree. Wash and chop broccoli and carrots, toss in olive oil and on to baking sheet. Roast veggies for 25- 30 mins. Remove and allow to cool. Wash, pierce potatoes and wrap in foil. Potatoes go into oven for one hour or until soft. In your food processor, blend broccoli and carrots with onions and garlic. Puree till a slightly coarse texture. Set aside.
When potatoes are done cooking place in large bowl and smash with potato masher. Add blended veggies to potatoes and mix together. Adding salt and pepper and other desired seasonings, including Dijon mustard.
Form (packed tightly) small balls with mixture, place on parchment lined baking sheet. Then place balls in freezer for one hour. This will allow the balls to form together and not fall apart.
Create a line of three bowls. One of gluten-free (GF) flour, on of beaten eggs and on of GF breadcrumbs. Roll balls in flour, tap off excess, then into eggs, then in cornmeal. Place on lined baking sheet. Do this until all are covered. Then nuggets go back into freezer. After frozen solid the nuggets can be placed in a Ziploc bag for storage or be baked.
Bake at 425, top rack for 10 mins, then flip nuggets and bake for an additional 6 to 8 minutes or until golden brown. Make sure nuggets are on a lined or greased (olive oil) baking sheet.
Serve warm with ketchup or other desired dipping sauce.
Homemade Ketchup
Need:
- 12 oz of tomato paste
- 2 large ripe tomatoes
- 1/2 cup diced onions
- 1 tablespoon mince garlic
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 honey
- pinch of ginger
How:
Combine all ingredients in pot and cook on low to medium heat till boiling. Mixing occasionally. Remove from heat to a large bowl and use a hand-held mixer to blend. Transfer to a jar or storage container. Ketchup will last one week.
* To make vegetarian just substitute beaten eggs for apple cider vinegar, mustard or water to act as the glue, during breading process
yummy!!!!