Carrot and parsnip bake

In true British fashion, I start tonight by moaning about the weather.  It's been grim the last couple of days - damp and foggy, with this morning bringing an unpleasant combination of raining while it was foggy that I've never seen before.

Such a day demands a warming, comforting dish, something roasted and smothered in cheese.

Start by peeling and chopping a parsnip into chunks and placing in an ovenproof dish.  Add carrots - these babies from our veg box just need the tops chopped off, but if you're using a large one you might want to peel it too.  Add a bit of butter, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, pepper and rosemary and roast in the oven at 190C.

 

After about 15 minutes, chop a leek into pieces and add that to the dish.  Turn it all about and add a bit more butter if you want to, then pop it back into the oven.

Make cheese sauce in the usual way, while you enjoy the comforting smell of roasting veg wafting through the flat.

Pour the cheese sauce over the veg, top with a layer of breadcrumbs (I whizzed them up in the blender but feel free to use bought ones), turn the oven up to 220C and pop it back in for another 10 minutes, just to let the breadcrumbs form a golden crust.

Taste Verdict

This really hit the spot.  Dead easy, delicious cooking smells and it really warmed us up.  The Manicure Maniac gave it her seal of approval too!

The Skinny

Peel and chop a parsnip and a carrot (or a handful of baby carrots if that's what you have).

Put them in an ovenproof dish, season and splash on olive oil and butter.

Roast at 190C for 15 minutes.

Cut up a leek and add that to the roasting dish.

Make cheese sauce (instructions here).  It takes about ten minutes, which will allow the leek to roast a little.

Pour the sauce over the roast veg and top with a coating of breadcrumbs.

Put back in the oven, turn it up to 220C and bake for another ten minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden-brown.

WeightWatchers ProPoints
6 each.  A bit less if you leave out the butter.