Ridiculously Easy Ezekiel Bread Croutons
Since they're basically just seasoned, toasted bread cubes, you would think it'd be easy to find vegan, low-fat croutons, but it's not. Most packaged croutons contain cheese and are fried in butter or oil. Plus, they're rarely made with whole-grain bread. So when I wanted some croutons to add crunch to a hot bowl of cream of broccoli soup, I turned to the loaf of Ezekiel bread on my counter.
2 slices Ezekiel bread (or other bread)
fat-free Italian dressing
garlic powder or granulated garlic
dried oregano
dried basil
Use a pastry brush to lightly brush one side of the bread with the dressing. You don't want soggy bread, so use a very light hand and just "kiss" the bread with the dressing. Sprinkle each slice with the garlic and herbs.
Place the bread on a rack in the middle of a toaster oven and toast until light brown. Remove to a cutting board and, with a gentle sawing motion, use a bread knife to cut the bread into cubes (Ezekiel crumbles easily, so the key word is gentle). Place the cubes on a small baking sheet, sprinkle them again lightly with garlic and herbs, and return them to the toaster oven. Toast until they are dry--just a couple of minutes is usually enough. Remove from oven, allow to cool, and store in a airtight container. Makes enough croutons for 4-6 bowls of soup.
Be sure to look for Cream of Broccoli Soup this week on FatFree Vegan Kitchen!
