1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large sauce pan, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add broccoli and cauliflower. Cook for 3 minutes. Add carrot and cook for 2 minutes. Drain vegetables in a colander. Place mixture in a 2-quart baking dish. Stir in peas; set aside.

2. To prepare the sauce, in a small sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add flour; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

3. Gradually whisk in milk and broth. Bring to a boil and cook, whisking frequently, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup of cheddar and the pepper.

4. Pour sauce over vegetables; stir until coated. Sprinkle remaining cheddar over top. Bake until cheese is bubbling, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Short Cut: Use thawed frozen vegetables instead of fresh-there is no need to precook them.

Per Servings: Calories (113-34% from fat); Carbohydrates (11g); Protein (8g); Sodium (178mg); Fat (4g); Cholesterol (11mg)

universal appeal.

Health Check: Carrots are a rich souce of vitamin A; the cheese sauce is made from skim milk; cauliflower and broccoli add iron.

Cooking Tips: When buying cauliflower look for heavy, compact white or cream-colored heads free of brown discoloration. Avoid heads with spreading flowerets.

To cut cauliflower flowerets, trim the leaves and remove the stem close to the head. Slice off the flowerets from around the inner core.

My Personal Notes: I substituted mushrooms for the cauliflower and I omitted the peas and added extra carrots. Still tasted great!