https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49TyBy91Eak
Healthier Smoked Salmon “Bagel”
You may have looked at the picture of this meal and noticed that while you see smoked salmon, you don’t exactly see a smoked salmon bagel. It’s true: this is our healthier take on the traditional smoked salmon bagel with cream cheese breakfast option.
Why are you messing with my breakfast?
Listen, if your smoked salmon bagel is the special treat that’s getting you through the week, by all means, continue to enjoy it. It’s actually a pretty healthy meal, what with all the omega 3s and protein from the fish. However, by making a few small tweaks, your traditional salmon bagel can be even healthier—something you could enjoy every single morning and feel awesome eating. This recipe is for anyone who loves smoked salmon in the morning and wants to enjoy all the health benefits of a clean, Mediterranean-inspired-diet!
Small tweaks
So what little tweaks do we recommend for your smoked salmon breakfast?
First, we swapped the cream cheese for plain whole milk greek yogurt. We give you the same creaminess without the additives that are often found in cream cheese. Plus, you get live and active probiotics from the yogurt that are great for your gut health!
Second, we switched the traditional bagel for an Ezekiel English Muffin. You will still get delicious, chewy carbs in the morning, but without the blood sugar spike that can come with a white flour bagel. The Mediterranean Diet recommends swapping whole wheat flour for white flour any time you can. A positive switch would be to swap a white bagel for a whole wheat bagel. Make sure it’s a 100% whole wheat bagel to reap maximum benefits.
Also, bagels that you find at the grocery store, even whole wheat ones, generally contain added sugar and preservatives or other stabilizers. In fact, while they may exist, I have not been able to find a grocery store bagel that does not contain added sugar. Sprouted grain English muffins, on the other hand, have been shown to be high in nutrients
like amino acids and B vitamins. They also contain no added sugar and are high in fiber (6 grams or more, depending on the brand).
By making these small changes, your breakfast has become an absolute powerhouse. When I have this meal for breakfast (or sometimes lunch!), it’s easily 5 hours before I’m hungry again.
How smoked salmon is made
While researching for this article, I feel down a rabbit hole of information about how to smoke salmon. Turns out, you can smoke your own salmon, using a
hot smoking or cold smoking method! I’ve never ventured that far into the world of smoking, though. If you are like me, you can find high-quality smoked salmon at your local grocery store. Make sure to keep it refrigerated and use by the date on the package. Cold smoked salmon is not cooked at a temperature hot enough to cook it or kill bacteria so you must follow good food guidelines when storing and eating it.
Does smoked salmon have omega 3?
Yes, smoked salmon has essentially all of the health benefits of fresh salmon. That means, it’s not only a great source of protein, magnesium, and vitamin
D, it’s also full of Omega 3s. Omega 3s are linked to a lower risk of heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
Did you make this dish? Show us! Tag us @mediterranean_movement on Instagram or Pinterest and let us see what you made!
