6 Recipes for Stale Bread

Y'all know how I feel about food waste. 

Sometimes, your bread just goes stale a little faster than you thought it would. If that's the case all is not lost! 

I buy bread in a cloth bag. If I'm buying a loaf, I cut it in half. I store half in my bread box and the other half in a cloth bag in the freezer. Freezing bread keeps it as fresh as the day you bought it! It will stay that way in the freezer for a couple of weeks. 

However, I don't think a loaf of bread would last that long in my house. 

RELATED: 8 Innovative Ideas for Cooking with Food Scraps

number one: 

Revive it: If it's not a complete brick, run under running water and microwave for 30 seconds. It will steam creating an almost fluffy bread. 

number two: 

Crostinis: Run under running water and microwave for 30 seconds. The bread will become soft temporarily. It will give you time to slice it thinly without it breaking. Spread the pieces out without overlapping on a baking sheet.

Brush the pieces with olive oil, and bake at 400 for roughly 5 minutes. They will keep in the pantry for a couple of weeks. They're perfect for dips, spreads, and deconstructed sandwiches. 

RELATED: 7 Tips for Avoiding Food Waste

number three:

Croutons: MMMMmmmm yummy salads. Run the stale loaf under running water and microwave for 30 seconds. Cut it into small cubes. Brush the pieces with olive oil, and bake at 400 for roughly 5 minutes.

They will keep in the pantry for a couple of weeks. And, they're way better than the stuff you get in a bag at the grocery store. 

number four: 

Dressing: I love this side dish even when it isn't Thanksgiving!  It's very easy to scale for the amount of bread you have too. Run the stale loaf under running water and microwave for 30 seconds. (Are you seeing a pattern?) You'll want to rip it into large chunks.

Add your bread chunks to an appropriately sized dish. Add some sauteed onions, sage, thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper. Slowly add in vegetable stock. The bread should absorb a good portion. Once you start to see it creeping up the sides of your dish, you know you've poured enough.

You don't want your chunks swimming in broth. Just enough broth so you know it's there. Bake until golden brown at 375 degrees should take around 45 minutes. 

number five:

Breakfast Casserole: Run the stale loaf under running water and microwave for 30 seconds. Rip into large chunks and place at the bottom of an 8' x 8' glass pan. (2-3 cups of bread chunks)

Whisk half a dozen eggs with 1/2 a cup of milk. You can throw in any toppings you like cheese, sausage, onions, or veggies. Bake at 350 for an hour. The casserole should be firm. 

number six:

French Toast: This is one of my favorites! Run the stale loaf under running water and microwave for 30 seconds. Rip into large chunks and place in a mason jar. (2-3 cups of bread chunks)

Whisk 2 eggs and 3/4 a cup of milk and 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Pour into the mason jar and let sit overnight or several nights. Pour onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. I always use the toaster oven at work, and then I sprinkle with lots of cinnamon sugar! 

This is me at work, chowin' on some delicious french toast! It's warm and crusty and sweet and a perfect way to start the day. 

What's your favorite use for stale bread?  

Allergy Fighting, Cookie Dough Energy Bites

Summer is so close I can taste it. Shorts, sandals, the beach - I'm so ready. I just have to get through the yellow cloud known as spring.  

Does anyone else get pounding sinus headaches around 2? Despite all of the headaches, spring is still my favorite season. It makes me giddy to see blue skies, the day's growing longer, flowers blooming, sun dresses, Easter, baby animals - eek!! I'm so excited just typing this. 

I'm a little late on the energy bites bandwagon, but I am a huge fan! I love that they're sweet enough to be dessert, they're filling, the protein gives me energy without crashing, and they're so portable! Plus, they're stupid easy to make, and only dirty one dish. 

It's not that I dislike doing dishes, I just like to save water - ya know.... zero waste. ;) 

Allergy Fighting, Cookie Dough Energy Bites

10 minutes active, 45 minutes inactive

•  1 Cup of Old Fashioned Oats (bought in bulk at Whole Foods)
• 2/3 Cup of Unsweetened Coconut Flakes (bought in bulk at Raley's)
• 1/4 Cup of Ground Flax Seed (Bought flax seeds in bulk at Raley's and ground them in my blender)  
• 1/2 Cup of Chocolate Chips (bought in bulk at Berkeley Bowl) 
• 1/4 Cup of Local Bee Pollen (bought in bulk at Rainbow) 
• 1/2 Cup of Peanut Butter Softened I keep my natural peanut butter in the fridge and it's very hard (bought in bulk from Rainbow)
• 1/3 Cup of Local Raw Honey (bought in glass)  
• 1/4 Cup of Maple Syrup (bought in bulk at Rainbow)
• 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla (bought in glass at Oaktown Spice) 

Combine all of the ingredients. You can use a spoon, but will probably succumb to using your hands. It's easier and one less thing to wash. ;) chill your mixture in the fridge for about 45 minutes. The peanut butter should harden enough to to easily scoop the mixture out and roll into bite size balls. 

You can easily make these vegan by leaving out the bee pollen and using maple syrup in place of honey. Your honey has to be local and raw to help with your allergies. 

Since introducing bee pollen to my diet, I have definitely noticed an improvement in my headaches and allergies.  

This recipe is freezer friendly; so, you can also double or triple the batch to save for later!  

I really want to try some brownie energy bites next! Have you tried any? What's your favorite recipe? 

Allergy Fighting Smoothie

Spring has come early in the bay. All the flowers are blooming and pollen is rampaging through the streets dusting everything a nice shade of yellow. During this time, I try to sneak a teaspoon of bee pollen and/or local raw honey into our breakfasts. 

What are allergies? 

To fix allergies, we first need to know how they work. If you have an allergic reaction to something, your body has developed an immune response to the allergen. This creates antibodies. The antibodies activate certain receptors on your cells to release histamine. (If you've ever looked for allergy medication, then you know you're looking for an anti-histamine) Histamines are what cause your stuffy nose, watery eyes, sneezing etc. And, bee pollen reduces histamines! 

This is a rudimentary explanation, here's something a little more scientific.

Plus, Bee pollen is not only an excellent way to fight allergies, it's also a super-food. It's a complete protein that aids in the recovery from chronic illness, helps reduces cravings, regulates intestines, builds new blood, fights disease, and even has antibiotic properties. 

Yes, my bee pollen is in my honey jar. Oops. 

Depending on your sensitivity level you can take up to 3 tablespoons a day. Gradually work your way up to that. It's best to take pollen with food - especially fruit. The fruit fibers will help activate the pollen. So, smoothies are the perfect vehicle. 

Ideally, you'll want to start taking the pollen 6 weeks before your allergies start; so, you can build up an immunity. But, there's no time like the present. I bought my bee pollen at rainbow grocery in bulk. Check with your local co-op or health food store to see if they carry it. Bee pollen will keep in the fridge for a year. 

If you are allergic to bee stings, proceed with caution. You could have an allergic reaction to bee pollen.

Allergy Fighting Smoothie + Immunity Boost

10 Minutes; Fills Three 16oz Mason Jars

• 1 Pineapple Cubed
• 1 Mango
• 2 Bananas 
• 1/4 Cup of Nut Milk (water or regular milk would work as well) 
• 1 Tablespoon of Bee Pollen 

Blend all of the ingredients until smooth. Then compost your scraps! These smoothies freeze very well. Pull the smoothie out of the freezer and place in the fridge the night before you want to drink it. You will wake up to a smoothie at the perfect consistency. 

But, let's talk about the other ingredients in this immune boosting smoothie. Both fruits are very high in vitamin C. One cup of pineapple has 131% of your vitamin C daily value, and one mango has 80% of your daily vitamin C.  Mangoes are also very high in Vitamin A, vital to a healthy immune system.

Justin prefers not to mix fruits and veggies in his smoothies. But, this would be fabulous with two large handfuls of spinach. It would add an extra nutritious punch. Or even a carrot for a little extra beta-carotene.

Do you like greens in your smoothies? What are some of your home remedies for allergy season? 

This may not completely replace allergy medicine. We still take it, but it has greatly reduced our consumption.