Light Broccoli Gratin

Coming back from a wonderful vacation is depressing on so many levels.  No more sleeping late, relaxing by the water, sightseeing excursions or indulgent food.  Yeah, that last part especially!  So I decided to deal with some of those vacation calories by making a rich, cheesy gratin.  What??  How is that not indulgent?  Oh, I'll show you.

All it takes is a few simple ingredient swaps to turn this into a light and healthy treat.  And yes, it will still taste cheesy.  And yes, there will still be that crunchy topping that we all love so much about gratins.  This was good enough to eat even while on vacation so I definitely took care of the part about missing indulgent food.  Still don't know how to get over the rest of the post vacation blues, though.....  Enjoy!







Ingredients
1 Small head broccoli, cut into bite size florets
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1 Clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 Cup low fat milk
1/2 Cup low fat cheddar cheese, shredded
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons seasoned panko breadcrumbs
1 Teaspoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated

Add the olive oil to a large pan along with the minced garlic.  Saute on low heat for a couple of minutes, just until the garlic softens but doesn't brown.  Mix in the flour until it's thoroughly coated and slowly whisk in the milk.  Add the nutmeg and stir in the cheddar cheese until it melts.  Season to taste.

Add the broccoli florets to a baking dish and pour the cheese sauce over them.  Top with the grated Parmesan.  In a small bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs and olive oil and sprinkle on top of the Parmesan cheese.  Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 20 - 30 minutes or until the top is a light golden brown.  Makes 2 to 3 generous servings.