Spring Panzanella - aka another way to enjoy bread

I don't know about you, but I've really never met a loaf of bread that I didn't like. Okay, that's not entirely true. I was raised on whole wheat bread, so I never really got into the fluffy white stuff. Although, I love challah-- a light, fluffy, slightly sweet egg bread. That is beside the point. The point is: bread is awesome and I'm always looking for new ways to enjoy it.

Meet bread salad, otherwise known as panzanella. Yum.

Now, add lovely spring vegetables like asparagus, leeks, and cabbage raab (aka the flowering part of the overwintered cabbage plant).

Cabbage raab.

Meet a filling, yet Springy, salad that can serve as a meal.

Spring Bread Salad
adapted from smitten kitchen

For Croutons:
1/4 c. olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
6 cups of stale bread
1/2 c. grated cheddar
salt and pepper to taste

For Dressing:
1/2 onion, diced
2 TBS. apple cider vinegar
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1/4 c. olive oil
1 tsp. spicy mustard

For salad:
3 large leeks
2 tsp salt
1 lb. of asparagus
1 bunch of cabbage raab (or tender red russian kale)
1 tomato, chopped
1 can of garbanzo beans

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix crouton ingredients in a bowl and mix with your hands--because it feels so nice. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring once. They should be crisp and light on the outside and still soft on the inside. Set aside.
2. For the dressing, mix the onion, vinegar, and lemon juice and set aside for a few minutes. Mix in the remaining dressing ingredients and set aside.
3. Cut off the root ends and top few inches of the leeks. Halve them lengthwise within an inch of the bottom. Cover them with cold water in a 12-in skillet, salt, and simmer uncovered until tender.
4. Without draining the cooking water, remove leeks from skillet and pat them dry. Add asparagus to the skillet of simmering water and cooking until they're bright green. Remove and pat dry.
5. Cut the leeks and asparagus into 1-in. pieces. Chop the cabbage raab into 1-in pieces too.
6. Toss everything: croutons, veggies, beans, and dressing in a big bowl and toss well. Season with salt and pepper.