Cheddar-Broccoli Sticks

My little munchkin is not a particularly adventurous eater.  She eats well when you put something she likes in front of her, but is very skeptical of new foods and, predictably, has been slow to warm up to vegetables.  So far the only veggie she eats enthusiastically is sweet potato, and even that took some persistence!  But one thing she does like is cheese, so when a friend recommended these cheesy broccoli bites, I thought it was worth a try.  It's from a website called Wholesome Baby Food, which sounds like it would be right up my alley!

As it turns out, these sounded like they would taste better than they do.  I imagined gooey cheesy nuggets with bits of broccoli in them, but the cheese is almost hard to detect because there is so much bread.  Instead, they are kind of stiff and don't have a ton of flavor.  That being said, the munchkin actually ate a few bites of them today, so if she likes them I am happy to make them as they are a great source of both veggies and dairy!  Hubby and I also enjoyed them as a side dish with our salmon, so while not the best thing I've ever made, they will certainly not go to waste!

Cheddar-Broccoli Sticks
adapted from Wholesome Baby Food

1 16-oz package frozen broccoli, cooked, drained, and very finely chopped (I used a food processor)
1 cup bread crumbs (seasoned, or if unseasoned, you may want to add salt and pepper and any other spices you like - I used plain breadcrumbs which probably contributed to the lack of flavor!)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3 large eggs

Heat oven to 375.  Cover a baking sheet with foil (to facilitate clean-up) and spray with non-stick spray.

Combine all ingredients and mix well.   Shape mixture into whatever shape you like (I made mine roughly the size and shape of mozzarella sticks) and place on baking tray.  Spray tops with oil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, turning them over halfway through.
 
So far we have had success reheating from the fridge, but I also put some in the freezer, so I will update if there are any issues reheating from frozen.
 
I was able to make 24 sticks.