Recipe: Scalloped Parsnips

SCALLOPED PARSNIPS

1 1/4 pounds parsnips
2 to 3 carrots
20 fat-free soda crackers
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded reduced fat Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup lowfat milk
1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth
Freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel the parsnips. Cut them lengthwise into quarters. Cut away the woody center core. Chop the parsnips and the carrots, making about 4 cups of vegetables, in all.

Boil the parsnips and carrots in salted water until cooked but not soft, about 10 minutes. Drain well.

Spray a 1-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Cover the bottom with one third of the vegetables. Place the crackers in a plastic bag and crush them by squashing the bag with your hands. Sprinkle one third of the crackers over the vegetables. Top with one third of the cheese. Repeat, making three layers, ending with the cheese.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth, 2 minutes. Gradually pour in the milk, stirring to avoid lumps. Mix in the broth. Cook until the sauce thickens to the consistency of stirred yogurt, 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the vegetables.

Bake, uncovered, until the sauce is browned around the edges of the pan, about 20 minutes.

Serve hot or warm.

Each of the eight servings contains 135 calories and 3 grams of fat.
Adapted from source: Dana Jacobi for the American Institute for Cancer Research