If you’re like me, you’ll find that you slowly accumulate odds and ends of vegetables in your refrigerator that need to be used up. I absolutely hate wasting food and this recipe helps you use some of those odds and ends vegetables to make something simple and delicious! It’s hard to tell by looking at the photograph, but that cream cheese is packed with bits of organic zucchini, carrot, spring onion and garlic scape from Taproot Farm (and topped with their cucumber, dill and parsley!). I also added a banana pepper from my own garden in the cream cheese mix and paired it all with an onion poppyseed bagel and smoked salmon. YUM! 🙂 It is so tasty and refreshing – perfect as a breakfast, brunch, lunch or easy dinner! Not a bagel fan? This cream cheese pairs perfectly with some of your favorite crackers or as a sandwich spread! I hope you all enjoy making this simple and delicious recipe as much as I did! 🙂  

Makes 6 Servings (*Can easily be done 1 bagel at a time haha!)

Recipe by © Alysha Melnyk 2018

Kitchen Tools:

Food Processor

Knife

Optional: Mandoline

Toaster

Ingredients:

6 Bagels of Choice (I used an onion poppyseed bagel)

8 Ounce Package of Plain Cream Cheese, Softened

2 Tablespoons Zucchini, Minced

2 Tablespoons Carrot, Minced

2 Tablespoons Banana Pepper, Minced

1 Small Spring Onion Bulb, Minced

1 Strand Garlic Scape (or 1 Clove Garlic), Minced

1 Small Cucumber, Sliced into Thin Pieces (I used a Mandoline)

8 Ounce Package Smoked Salmon

Optional for Topping: Fresh Dill, Fresh Parsley and Black Pepper

Featured Artists/Products:

Square Platter by Jeremy Ogusky, Creater of Ogusky Ceramics (based in Jamaica Plan, MA)

Instructions:

1. First, mince up your vegetables. Get creative with this! You can add more, less or something different you have on hand!
2. Next, combine softened cream cheese and minced vegetables in a food processor. Mix until well combined (using a spoon to push components down and re-mix as needed).
3. Place cream cheese in a container and pop in the refrigerator to chill while assembling the rest.
4. Next, slice bagel of choice and toast in the toaster.
5. While this is toasting, slice your cucumber.
6. After bagel is toasted and slightly cooled, spread on preferred amount of veggie cream cheese, top with cucumber slices and smoked salmon, and sprinkle with fresh dill, parsley and black pepper.
7. Enjoy! 🙂