get your carrot on

BHG TV’s ‘Fast Ed’ Halmagyi finds a clever way to indulge your sweet tooth and still up the ante on nutrition

Vegetables for dessert? Give it a go. As this tempting treat proves, you can have your slice – and eat it too.

ROASTED CARROT AND COCONUT SLICE

PREP TIME: 15 MINS

COOK TIME: 2 HOURS 40 MINS SERVES 24 (1 PIECE PER SERVE AS A SNACK)

2kg medium carrots, peeled

2 tsp olive oil

11/2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and

cracked (see Cook’s Tip)

2 Tbsp rice malt syrup

160ml (2/3 cup) milk

1 pink lady apple, grated 240g (1½ cups) wholemeal

self-raising flour

45g (½ cup) desiccated coconut 4 egg whites (from 60g eggs)

1 Preheat oven to 180°C (fanforced) and line an oven tray with baking paper. Spray a 20 x 30cm slice tin with cooking spray and line with baking paper.

2 Toss carrots and oil in a large bowl. Transfer to lined tray. Cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for a further 1 hour, until very tender. Set aside to cool.

3 Transfer carrots to a large bowl and mash until smooth. Stir in fennel seeds and rice malt syrup and mix well. Stir in milk and apple and mix again. Fold in flour and coconut.

4 Beat egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form, then fold gently into carrot mixture. Spoon mixture into lined slice tin. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden and firm on top (inside should be moist). Let slice cool before serving.

COOK’S TIPS

• To toast fennel seeds, cook, stirring, in a small non-stick frying pan over medium heat for 2 minutes or until aromatic. Crack fennel seeds with the back of a knife or in a mortar and pestle. • Keep the slice in the fridge for up to one week.