Recipe: basic cheese sauce

There's nothing earth shattering about this recipe.  It's just a basic and tasty cheese sauce, the proper kind made with a roux.  I thought it was about time I worked out how I could use it for my SW friendly meals

Ingredients:  this will make enough for three smallish portions or two bigger ones.
15g butter
15g white flour
200 mls semi skimmed milk
75g strong cheddar, grated
pepper, nutmeg or whatever seasonings you want - be careful with salt as butter and cheese already contain salt.

Method
Melt the butter in a small, non-stick pan. When it is sizzling, add the seasoned flour and mix well, over a low heat, stirring well, for a few minutes to cook out the flour.
Then add the milk a little at a time, stirring continuously. As it thickens, add a bit more, then a bit more, until the white sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the grated cheddar, reserving a little bit to sprinkle over. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

The numbers:  I used Nutracheck and the 20 calories = one syn rule for the SW numbers

Slimming World:  15g butter - five and a half syns;  15g plain flour = two and a half syns;  75g cheese = two and a half healthy extra As;  200mls semi-skimmed milk = one healthy extra A (just under)

Total:  eight syns and three and a half healthy extra As

Calories:  15g butter = 112 calories;  15g flour = 53 calories; 75g cheese = 308 calories;  200mls milk = 92 calories

Total:  565 calories

Divide by three and you get  three syns and one healthy extra A (has to be rounded a bit ) or 199 calories

Divide by two and you get four syns and one and a half healthy extra As (again by rounding) or 283 calories.

I made three portions on lasagne (cheese sauce on the top only) and it was lovely.  I'm planning in things like cauliflower and broccoli cheese and macaroni cheese now.