So just last week I started exercising at a new gym that opened up in town. It is super convenient, which is good for me because any obstacle that gets in the way of working out (like it being ten minutes out of my way) always seems to be the perfect excuse to immediately stop working out.
Who feels me on that one?
So, I started these classes there, that are like a sort of circuit training type of thing and the people who teach it are really awesome, but each time I am there, I am reminded how much older I am than the last time I belonged to a gym. I feel surrounded by people who seem to be way younger than me, which sort of makes me feel like an old lady trying to keep up with the exercises. No one seems to have children and I am met with a lot of blank stares when I mention anything that has to do with my kids. Not that I talk that much while exercising. I am one of those people that likes to be anything BUT social while working out. These people seem to enjoy talking though, so I try to make nice. Today, in the middle of the thousandth lunge that I was instructed to do, the trainer yelled, “Come on ladies! Let’s get those Victoria Secret bods ready for the summer!”
I seriously almost died laughing.
Where am I going with this you might ask? Well, although I have no plans to get a Victoria Secret bod (or anything even close to that), I am excited to welcome the summer with lots of fresh air and exercise and eating lots of in season veggies and fruits. Although I absolutely love fruits and vegetables, sometimes eating them plain gets seriously boring. I love them grilled, roasted and steamed, but sometimes it’s fun to add them to recipes that normally don’t even include veggies. The more the merrier, right?
These zucchini tots are the perfect replacement for a starchy side dish and are seriously so good! My kids didn’t even ask about the ingredients as they were shoveling them down their throats and asking for more. The spicy ketchup? A perfect accompaniment, but regular ketchup will do just fine too.
These are easy to make and go great with anything, but the one thing that I will stress is to make sure you squeeze all of the water out of the zucchini or you will have mushy tots!
These are super kid friendly and will sure to be a hit with your family, and you will love them too!
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 cups packed shredded zucchini (see NOTE below)
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ¼ cup onion, finely minced
- ¼ cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
- ½ cup freshly grated cheddar cheese
- ⅔ cup seasoned bread crumbs
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- SPICY KETCHUP:
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 1-2 tsp sriracha sauce (or more if you like it spicy!)
- NOTE: Once you shred the zucchini, make sure to drain all the water out. Squeeze handfuls between thick paper towels to make sure to get all of the water out. If the zucchini is still wet, they won't cook up well.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil
- With a basting brush, spread a thin layer of olive oil on the parchment
- Mix zucchini with eggs and onion
- Add cheese and stir gently
- Add breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.
- Mix until completely combined
- With clean hands, form into small "tots"
- Set on baking sheet spaced evenly apart
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, turning halfway through until cooked through and golden
- Mix spicy ketchup ingredients together and serve with zucchini tots
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