Tasty Tots

A healthy, kid-friendly alternative to traditional “fried” potatoes, Tasty Tots are made with sweet potatoes and garbanzo beans (chickpeas). Taste-tested by over 200 students with rave reviews, it is the winner of a national recipe challenge.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Makes 36 Tots

Ingredients

• 5 cups fresh sweet potatoes, peeled, coarsely shredded
• 2 1/3 cups canned low-sodium garbanzo beans (chickpeas), with liquid
• 1/2 cup fresh green onions, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 °F.
2. Place shredded potatoes on a large baking pan sprayed with a nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350 °F for 20 minutes or until slightly tender. Do not overcook.
3. Increase oven temperature to 400 °F.
4. In a food processor or blender, purée garbanzo beans, including the liquid, until smooth.
5. In a medium mixing bowl, combine shredded sweet potatoes, puréed garbanzo beans, green onions, vegetable oil, salt, garlic, pepper, onion powder, and cinnamon. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 40-45 minutes to make tots easier to form.
6. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, roll 36 tots. Place 1 inch apart on baking sheet. Lightly flatten the tops of the tots with a spoon or a fork. Bake at 400 °F for 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown. Serve hot.

Source: TeamNutrition.usda.gov