It is undeniable that broccoli and cheddar is a classic pairing. I love to sprinkle broccoli with shredded cheddar and broil until you get those crispy brown bits as a quick and tasty snack, but this dish has a little more protein so you can serve it as a snacky kind of meal – perfect for littles like mine who won’t show much interest in a meal but if I say it’s a snack, we’re in business! I like to pair this with a cheesy mashed potato or a cheesy pasta to really boost those cheese flavours. When it’s not a Friday, I’ll add a little bit of finely chopped bacon into the mix, but we are mindful to leave out that balcony goodness on a Friday – sacrificing meat to remember Jesus’ sacrifice is kind of the whole point of meat-free Fridays, guys.
Oh, bee tee dubs, this recipe is a wink and a nod to fellow air-fryer-cultists. For non air-fry heads, you could probably do them in a conventional oven as well, but times may vary (I believe you could use a convection oven to the same effect as an air fryer)
Serves 4 (or 2 very hungry people, or 6-8 if you’re serving it on the side)
Ingredients:
- 4 cups broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese (I prefer pecorino, but I know parmesan is more common and easier to find)
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons cream
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
½ cup breadcrumbs - 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper
- Avocado oil spray (or any other sprayable oil)
Directions:
- Preheat air-fryer to 400°F 200°C)
- Steam broccoli florets until tender, about 5 minutes. I like mine to retain a bit of crunch so I tend to go a little under, but steam for longer if you want them softer. Drain and allow to cool until you can touch them comfortably. Roughly chop florets and transfer to a large bowl.
- Add all the cheese, eggs, cream, melted (and cool!) butter, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, thyme, nutmeg and salt and pepper to the bowl and mix until ingredients are evenly combined.
- Roll the mixture into bite-sized balls and line them up on a tray lined with baking paper.
- Spray the balls lightly with cooking oil spray and pop into your air fryer basket.
- Air fry for 10-15 minutes, or until the balls are golden brown.
Until next time, let’s pray for each other. And remember, we can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens us!
Mom Things Through Christ 