Graham’s Famous Cheesy Veggie Bites

This recipe for Graham’s Famous Cheesy Veggie Bites and the content below is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Abbott.

Fresh veggies.  Lots of cheese.  And a little help from my kid.  These are the ingredients for delightfully delicious Cheesy Veggie Bites, the perfect lunch for the whole family!

I do a lot of cooking – for this blog, for recipe development for my clients, and for my family.  I rarely, however, bring the kids into the kitchen with me.  Mostly because of the mess.  And, because it slows me down.  My life of mothering and working boils down to being as efficient as possible.

That being said…. I LOVED cooking with Graham today!  I enjoyed seeing how thoughtful he was with the ingredients.  He was so cute as he learned new tricks of the cooking-trade.  And when he tasted his concoction and gave himself a double-thumbs up? Yup, that was a proud moment for me.  Because, really, these Cheesy Veggie Nuggets are delicious.

The challenge?  Use ingredients high in lutein.  Sure, I knew it was good for eye health.  But, new research from scientists at Abbott and the University of Illinois shows it may also enhance learning and memory.  The study says children with higher levels of lutein (which is in leafy vegetables, egg yolks, avocados and more), were found to do better on academic exams in the study.

According to Matt Kuchan, PhD, a lead scientist at the global healthcare company Abbott, “Our research – from infancy to adulthood – brings to life the important role nutrition plays in helping to create strong brain connections, helping us to focus, and preserving our memories.”

Yes please.  We’ll take all of the help I can get!  In the kitchen, too!  ‘Cuz Graham rocked this one.

His ingredients he chose to highlight?  Broccoli, carrots and eggs. I threw in the cheese (duh) and onion.  Together we made a fab lunch that everyone enjoyed.

Even Will.  And he’s a tough nut to crack.

Graham’s Famous Cheesy Veggie Bites

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Place the broccoli in a microwave safe bowl with a few tablespoons of water.  Cook for 2-3 minutes until hot and bright green.  Drain and finely chop.  Set aside.

I let Graham peel the carrots (he rocked it!), then I chopped them into a small mince.

Heat a medium skillet of medium high heat and pour in the olive oil.  Add the carrots and onion to the skillet.  Saute for 4-5 minutes until tender.  With a watchful eye, I let Graham help me with this too.  After they are done, remove the pan from heat and set aside.

Cut the crusts from the bread and chop or tear into very small pieces.  In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs.  Add in the bread and let it sop up the egg.  Stir in the veggies, Greek yogurt, salt and cheese.  Mix until combined.

Grease two mini muffin pans.  Scoop out the mixture into the cups and bake for 15 minutes or until the bites are golden on top and cooked through.

Allow to cool slightly before serving to children as they will be hot.

Graham's Famous Cheesy Veggie Bites

Yield: 24 mini muffins

Fresh veggies.  Lots of cheese.  And a little help from my kid.  These are the ingredients for delightfully delicious Cheesy Veggie Bites, the perfect lunch for the whole family!

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Ingredients

• 2/3 cup chopped broccoli
• 2 carrots1/2 onion, minced
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 2 eggs
• 3 pieces of whole wheat bread
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup of shredded cheese
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Place the broccoli in a microwave safe bowl with a few tablespoons of water.  Cook for 2-3 minutes until hot and bright green.  Drain and finely chop.  Set aside.
3. Peel the carrots, and finely chop.  Heat a medium skillet of medium high heat and pour in the olive oil.  Add the carrots and onion to the skillet.  Saute for 4-5 minutes until tender.  Remove from heat.
4. Cut the crusts from the bread and chop or tear into very small pieces.  In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs.  Add in the bread and let it sop up the egg.  Stir in the veggies, Greek yogurt, salt and cheese.  Mix until combined.
5. Grease two mini muffin pans.  Scoop out the mixture into the cups and bake for 15 minutes or until the bites are golden on top and cooked through.  Allow to cool slightly before serving to children as they will be hot.

What lutein-packed foods are you excited to try with your kids?  If this kids-in-the-kitchen post has you jazzed, here are a few other recipes that the kids can help out with: Peanut Butter & Jelly Grilled Cheese and these awesome homemade pop tarts!

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Abbott.