Broccoli Feta Fritters

We eat a lot of Broccoli in our house.  Jacob has been complaining about it, so I tried to come up with a new way to feed it to him without him feeling like his mom is making him eat his Broccoli.  Broccoli is such a nutritional superstar that I want to make sure we are keeping it as a regular on our dinner plates!

This is super simple to pull together and I like to do it before I start the main dish.  I put them on a plate and stick them in my warming drawer, or you could place them in an oven at 200 degrees.

I like the saltiness of the feta in this dish, it really adds a zing to the broccoli and you feel like you are being decadent instead of eating your vegetables.  It is great to serve with any protein and would be delish with some eggs in the morning.

• 3 cups of fresh broccoli chopped roughly (I remove the stems and only use florets)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt (not more the feta is salty)
• A pinch of red pepper flakes or several grinds of black pepper
• Olive or vegetable oil for frying

Prepare your broccoli: Separate the florets from their stems. Cut the florets into 1-inch chunks.

Steam your broccoli until tender but not mushy:  Bring 1/2-inch or so of water to a boil in a small saucepan, then add the broccoli, place a lid on it and simmer it for 5 to 6 minutes. Drain the broccoli, then set it aside to cool slightly. Mash with a potato masher until crumbly looking (1/4- to 1/2-inch chunks)

In the bottom of a large bowl, lightly beat your egg. Add the flour, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Then, add the broccoli.  Stir or fold the ingredients together the rest of the way with a spoon. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Heat a large, heavy skillet over moderate heat. Once hot, add oil till it comes up on side pan about 1/2″ deep.  Once the oil is hot (you can test it by flicking a droplet of water into it; it should hiss and sputter), scoop a two tablespoon-size mound of the batter and drop it into the pan, then flatten it slightly with your spoon or spatula. Repeat with additional batter, leaving a couple inches between each. Once brown underneath, about 2 to 3 minutes, flip each fritter and cook on the other side until equally golden, about another 1 to 2 minutes.

Transfer briefly to paper towels to drain, then serve!

Here are 10 reasons why broccoli should be an essential part of your diet.  It helps or prevents the following.

• Aids Nervous System
• Helps keep Blood Pressure Low
• Great Source of Vitamin C
• Aids in Bone Health
• Helps prevent Sun Damage
• Boosts Immune System
• Cancer Prevention
• Diet Aid
• Great for Eye Health
• Great for Heart Health

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