Roasted broccoli is a favorite in this house – loved by adults and toddlers alike.  So I roast about two trays of florets per week, but hate that I’m always left with the stems! When L&H were younger I used to steam and puree the stems to spoon feed them – but since they are beyond that stage (and I also don’t want to deal with scrubbing toddler-flung green puree off my walls), I found myself throwing out tons of stems.

I knew there had to be a useful way to use them, but couldn’t think of anything.  Until last week it hit me — Broccoli Fritters! L&H are huge fans of Dr Prager’s Broccoli Cakes so I figured I had a good chance at success here.  But still with toddlers you never know….so I crossed my fingers and started shredding.

Turns out….I struck gold! L&H love them.  And adorably call them “Broccoli Bagels” because for some reason they think the fritters are bagels.  But they love bagels, so I’m cool with it!

I made half with cheese, and half without – and I liked both versions as did L&H.  I feel strongly that there’s nothing cheese can’t make better, so I will probably make them with cheese in the future.  But if you have an aversion or an allergy, just know it’s still worth it to make these without cheese.  And while I didn’t test it myself, I have a good hunch these could be made with almond flour for anyone with a gluten allergy.  (If you make them with almond flour let me know how it comes out in the comments!)

An added bonus is that these fritters (or should we all just agree to call them “Broccoli Bagels”? What’s your vote?) were super easy to make.  I shredded the broccoli stems while the florets were roasting in the oven, then stashed the shred in the fridge for several days until I had time to make them.  Then, start to finish, the process took me about 15 or 20 minutes.

If I don’t eat them all (note: unlikely since I can’t stop),  I’m going to pop some in the freezer for an easy lunch or dinner option in the future! Paired with a little sour cream, a side salad, or even some applesauce these would make a great meal for toddlers and adults.

So get broccoli roasting….and stem shredding! It’s time to save those stems from the trash.

Broccoli Fritters
Makes 8-12 fritters