"Cheesy" Broccoli "Bread" Sticks

These "cheese" sticks are a great gluten-free snack that can be made grain-free. I'm a huge fan of using vegetables as a base for baked food. Muffins, crackers, cookies, brownies, you name it- why NOT add nutrients. This recipe is toddler and mama-approved. Broccoli is rich in Vitamin C and K as well as the strongest antioxidant known to man, sulforophane. Better to lightly steam broccoli to retain its powerful nutrients. Our family loves nutritional yeast- saccharomyces cerevisiae- a protein-rich, B vitamin-packed food additive. It is a cheesy, sometimes flaky powder that is easy to add to eggs, potatoes, veggies or popcorn. My son just eats it plain with his fingers. I added turmeric for even more anti-oxidant potential- a liver cleanser, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.

Recipe adopted from Physical Kitchness

Ingredients

• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 1 cup almond or brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 TBSP black sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 TBSP of nutritional yeast
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Steam broccoli florets for 8-10 minutes, until broccoli is soft, then drain the water
3. Add the broccoli to a food processor and pulse until broccoli is broken down.
4. Combine the almond or rice flour, coconut flour, baking powder, turmeric, sesame seeds, garlic powder, salt, and nutritional yeast together
5. Add the dried ingredients to the broccoli, then add the egg and apple cider vinegar and mix until well combined
6. Pour the mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place another piece of parchment paper over the top. Using a rolling pin (or your hands), spread the down by pressing it out on the top piece of parchment paper (to avoid it sticking) until it’s roughly 1/3 – 1/2 inch thick
7. Remove the top piece of parent paper. Using a pizza cutter, score the dough into 1″-wide pieces to make sticks. Also score the dough in the middle
8. Place into the oven at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden and the middle is cooked through. Let cool, then break the pieces into sticks
9. Store at room temperature for a few days, or to keep longer, place in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Freeze any leftover sticks and thaw when needed. They will have a strong broccoli odor when leftover :)

Enjoy!