Guiltfree Crunchy Garlic Croutons

A crouton is a piece of sautéed or re baked bread, often cubed and seasoned, that is used to add texture and flavor to salads, notably the Caesar salad, as an accompaniment to soups, or eaten as a snack food. The word crouton is derived from the French croûton, itself derived from croûte, meaning "crust".

Most often restaurants serve croutons with tomato soup etc that are made of plain bread and deep fried. A healthier and more tasty alternative to the fried mess is the baked croutons with a dash of garlic and herbs. Simple to make and the taste is just like the fried version!

Ingredients

Bread of your choice, preferably a day old

2 tbsp. Olive oil

2 tbsp. Butter

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. dried herbs (Oregano, rosemary, thyme, etc)

1 tsp. Sea Salt

1 tsp. Black pepper powder

Method

In a small pan mix oil and butter. Heat till the butter melts. Now add the garlic and sauté. Add herbs, black pepper powder and mix well. Turn down the flame. 

While the herbs infuse their flavor in the oil and butter, cube the bread slices. If the bread is fresh, it will be very soft and crumble. Thus, a day old bread works the best. Make about 9 cubes from each slice of bread. 

In a large mixing bowl take the bread. Drizzle the  seasoned oil-butter mixture and add the sea salt. Mix the slices well such that the cubes are well coated with herbs and oil. Preheat the oven to 350 F. On a baking tray arrange the bread slices in a single layer. Bake them for 7-10 minutes, till they turn golden brown. Remove tray and serve the croutons with soup or salad.