Homemade Garlic Herb Croutons

Do you like salads? If you do, I bet you don't like them with just lettuce or only green things (and if you do, I'm impressed). How do you feel about croutons? I happen to love them. They add a nice crunch and flavor. Croutons are to salads as pearls are to a cute sundress. It's true. Salads need accessories too.

Now let's talk about bread. I bet you have it. I bet on occasion you end up tossing some pieces that get old or moldy. Allow me to share my collection of bread tips.

1. If you do end up with moldy bread on occasion, you can lengthen the life of your bread like whoa by keeping it in the fridge. I'm just me with no husbands or kids to eat bread and a loaf usually last me a month.

2. Don't care for the ends? Don't toss them! Keep a bag in a the freezer and collect any bread butts (that's what I call them), funky pieces or smooshed pieces. Things to also toss in that bread freezer bag: extra bread of any sort that will soon go bad - hotdog buns, hamburger buns, white bread, wheat bread. ALL THINGS BREAD.

3. Don't like the texture of your refrigerated longer shelf life bread? Two options. 1 - Toast it. I love a sandwich on toast. I also just love toast. Toast with Nutella, toast with peanut butter and bananas, toast with yogurt butter, cheese toast, cinnamon toast. 2. Microwave it for 5-10 seconds. It will be as fluffy and soft as new.

4. So you have a bag of frozen bread... Now what? My favorite choices are bread puddings, homemade bread crumbs (which I also keep in the freezer after I make them and have for the many recipes that call for them), and now... CROUTONS!

I am almost certain you have everything you need to make your own croutons which means... A. FREE, sorta. I mean you bought the stuff you have to make them at some point. But in comparison to buying croutons, FREE. B. You can make them healthier. C. They taste way better. 

Homemade Garlic Croutons

Recipe inspired by Savory Sweet Life

Ingredients: 

• 6 slice of bread (I used Sara Lee Delightful 45 Calorie Wheat Bread)
• 3 tablespoons melted Brummel and Brown yogurt butter
• 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cube the six slices of bread. If you don't like crusts, you can removed them, but I like them and leave them on. I cut them in threes each way. Mix melted butter, garlic powder and parsley flakes together until garlic powder is dissolved. Toss the butter mixture and bread cubes in a large bowl together until the bread is evenly coated. 

Spread the coated bread cubes on a parchments or foil lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes and check to see if they are dry, crispy and golden brown. Stir the croutons around and bake for additional minutes according to your preference. I cooked mine for about 20 minutes total, but I like them with just a touch of softness. Store croutons in a ziplock bag (or any air tight container, I'm partial to mason jars) and they will keep fresh for a few days. 

I like making these because you can make as many as you need, less or more than this recipe even. I even like them as mouth popable little snacks. 

Yields 6 servings of 1/3 cup portions. Each serving is 2 points on Weight Watchers according to the recipe builder. 

I made Crock Pot Caesar Chicken on English muffin rolls with side Caesar salads complete with these yummy croutons. As a Round 2 recipe I did big Chicken Caesar salads with leftover shredded chicken and croutons of course.