Don’t throw out stale bread. Seriously, don’t. Baguettes, sliced sandwich bread and even loaves of crusty white bread can be recycled into homemade croutons.
Use a chef’s knife to cut the bread into cubes (1/2-inch to 3/4-inch cubes are ideal). Toss the cubes with olive oil and some salt, and then spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake them in a 350 F oven, stirring once or twice so they brown evenly, until crisp and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Once cool, the croutons can be stored in an airtight container for a week or so. Use them in soups or salads. Follow this recipe with your kids.
GINGERY CARROT SOUP
Servings 1-2 (Makes 2 cups)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 ounces carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/3 cup milk
Use a chef’s knife to cut off peeled portion of ginger. Chop peeled ginger into small pieces.
Nutrition information per serving: 142 calories; 72 calories from fat; 8 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 4 mg cholesterol; 435 mg sodium; 15 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 4 g protein.
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