Tater-less Tots

I'm gonna tell you something now and you have to promise not to laugh.  Ok?  You promise?  Alrighty then.

Here it is:

Before making this recipe, I didn't realize that the "tater" in "tater tots" had to do with potatoes.  I know, I'm an idiot.

But it just never occured to me.  I thought tater was just a funny word that sounded good with tot, which was just another funny word that let you know that whatever dish you were about to eat is small.

The whole tater = potato thing sort of flew right past me.  Whoops.

I didn't realize the connection until after I had made these tater tots (which actually taste like the real thing, believe it or not, even though they're made with a single 'tater).  I was trying to decide on some clever name for the recipe, with no luck might I add, when everything became clear.

I felt so stupid!  After a big long "ohhhh" I decided to call this recipe Tater-less Tots, and then I ran into my kitchen to eat more of them in hopes of halting the embarassment.  It didn't work... but at least the tots were delicious!

Tater-less Tots

• 1 1/2 cups (1 can) chickpeas, rinsed and drains
• 120 g cauliflower, chopped into small pieces
• 1 cup cooked quinoa (about 1/3 cup dry)
• 1/4 cup ground flax
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup finely minced shallot
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

In a large bowl, mash chickpeas until mostly broken up.  Add in remainging ingreidents and mix until combined.  Mixture probably won't hold together too well.  Do your best to form into tater tot shapes.  Warm a frying pan over medium heat and pour a bit of olive oil in.  Place tater tots in batches on pan and cook for a couple minutes on each side until browned and crispy.  Store in fridge.   Recipe makes 3-5 servings.

Right now you're probably looking at the ingredient list above and thinking that I'm even crazier than the story I already told you implied.  Just trust me.  It sounds nuts, but those ingredients really do come together to create something that tastes like a potato.

Which by the way, is what "tater" means in the phrase "tater tot".  You know, 'cause I know that now.

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Vegan Sweet Potato Chili