Cheesy Spinach Tots

Freckled with carrots and packed with plenty of the healthy goodness of spinach, these little spinach tots are delightful little cheesy bites that makes eating veggies a pleasure. I used two cheeses in my little tots–both Asiago, a sharp, hard, Italian cheese and Dubliner, a fruity white Irish cheese, but you can choose whichever cheeses you like with spinach. Personally, I love the taste of Asiago with Spinach, and the Dubliner is a great complement.

Do you like my new bowl? It was my Christmas present from my boyfriend. It was our first Christmas together and he was unsure of what to get me, but isn’t it just perfect? I absolutely adore it.  … Since we have a big “stocking” tradition in our family, I got him a big fuzzy stocking with jingle bells on it and filled it with all sorts of little things that reminded me of him. It was hard to tell, in the midst of the chaos of the crazy family present-fest that happens with my family, whether he liked the things I got him, but I hope that he did. I know he liked the Christmas socks at least!

Okay, let’s talk about spinach tots …  At work, we had a “Project Zero” challenge over the holidays–the goal was to avoid the 7-10 lb. weight gain that most people experience over the holidays and simply gain zero pounds. I was really nervous that I wouldn’t make it and the scale in our gym at work kept disappearing so I couldn’t really check my “progress”. I really really tried hard to eat less over the holidays–I did indulge in all the holiday delights, but I made my indulgences very small, just little tastes of each thing and if, once I’d tasted the treat, I wasn’t absolutely enthralled with the flavor, I threw it away, allowing more room in my life for the things I really did love. I also tried to squeeze in a bit of rowing on the rowing machines at the gym at work in addition to my regular yoga classes, taking little breaks at work and stopping by over the weekends to row a little. Yesterday I stepped on the scale at my friend’s house and discovered that I’ve not only succeeded in this Project Zero challenge, but I actually LOST 1.6 lb. over the holidays! Eeeek! I was so excited.

I was soooo encouraged by this little win that I decided I need to continue and try to lose this baby belly I’ve had since my teenage daughter was born. I made these little tots to help me continue on my journey. I’m pondering what other changes to make to reach my goal, but for now, I’m going to keep doing yoga, rowing and eating lots of tiny little meals, with lots and lots of veggies, in ways that I love to eat veggies. Eggs and cheese and veggies are so scrumptious and healthy! I’ll be having a few of these little tots for breakfast every day this week.

Cheesy Spinach Tots

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 12 spinach tots 1x

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Ingredients

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• 3 cups packed fresh spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 1 – 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped fine
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup finely shredded white cheeses (I used a mix of Asiago and Dubliner)
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Robin Seasoning (or your favorite seasoned salt)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray.
2. Put the spinach in a medium mixing bowl, cover with a plate and microwave on high for 1 minute or until the spinach is wilted. Put the spinach in a food processor or handi chopper to chop it into small bits. Put the spinach back in the bowl and use a clean towel to squeeze out the excess moisture.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and stir to mix well.
4. Fill the mini muffin tin with this lovely mixture, pushing down on each one to squeeze the contents together well. Let them mound up a bit–it makes them even prettier.
5. Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Let them sit in the pan for about 10 minutes before attempting to remove them. Use a butter knife around the edges and to gently lift them from the muffin tin. Enjoy them while they’re warm! Refrigerate any leftovers and reheat in the microwave briefly for an easy on-the-go snack.

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Notes

For gluten free tots, use gluten free breadcrumbs.

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

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This recipe was shared at The Weekend Potluck, Hearth & Soul Bloghop, Foodie FriDIY, Foodie Friends Friday, Gluten Free Friday and Clever Chicks Bloghop.