Are you eating more salads these days? Congratulations! Salads are an excellent way to reduce your intake of fat and calories as well as get the daily servings of vegetables you need for good health. Sometimes you need to spice up your salad a bit. Nothing does this better than adding a handful of delicious croutons. Unfortunately, the croutons you buy at your local supermarket may not taste as fresh as the ones you make at home. The good news is you can make croutons in your own kitchen quickly and easily. Here's how to make croutons:
Ingredients needed to make croutons:
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Slices of bread
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Your choice of fresh herbs and spices
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Salt and pepper
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Olive oil
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Olive oil or canola oil spay
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Mixing bowl
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A spatula
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A knife
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A baking sheet
How to make croutons:
Mix your herbs and spices with the olive oil.
Prepare a half cup of olive oil in a glass container. Slowly add the herbs, salt, and pepper to the olive oil and mix thoroughly with a spoon to taste.
Apply your flavored oil to the bread slices.
Apply the flavored oil to both sides of your bread slices using a spoon or a brush. Make sure each bread slice is completely covered with the flavored oil.
Cut your bread slices.
Stack your slices of bread atop one another and carefully cut them into cubes using your knife. Spray your baking tray with olive oil or canola oil spray to prevent sticking and place your cubes on the tray in a single layer.
Bake your croutons.
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Farenheit and place the baking tray with the crouton cubes in the oven. Bake for eight minutes. Remove your baking sheet and use a spatula to life your croutons from the tray to prevent sticking. Continue baking for another eight minutes and repeat the process until the croutons are dry and crispy. Remove the croutons from the oven and allow them to cool before adding them to your favorite salad.
You do lots of variations on this basic recipe. Try varying the type of bread you use. Instead of using white bread, try make croutons using whole wheat, whole grain, French bread, or Italian bread. Vary your herbs and spices. Try adding a bit of butter or parmesan cheese for a rich, satisfying taste. Once you know how to make basic croutons, you can enjoy experimenting with different ingredients.
By making croutons in your own kitchen, you'll know they'll always be fresh and tasty and to enhance the flavor of your healthy salads.
