Healthier Eats

 My friend and I decided to skip this station and head for one that offered some healthier eats, as we definitely had splurged the last two days during their Grand Opening.   

Holiday Avocado Toast

Cook's Notes: A festive, healthy holiday appetizer or a breakfast item. I had mine as a dinner choice. Either way, they are quite tasty and takes only 5 minutes to prepare. The recipe comes from foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

•  Baguette bread sliced diagonally or a loaf pre-sliced 

• 2 avocados
• 1 lemon
• Salt
• Arils (pomegranate seeds) 
• Pistachios (salted and roasted) 

Directions:

• Toast bread in the oven or use a toaster. The slices should be crisp. Lightly brush with olive oil.  
• In a medium-sized bowl, mash avocado. To enhance the flavor, add a couple of good lemon squeezes and fine sea salt or kosher salt.  
• Spread avocado mash on toast. Sprinkle with arials and pistachio nuts. Serve immediately. 

If you cut toasts smaller, you have appetizers. 

Everything Bagel Cucumber Bites with Smoked Salmon (Low Carb, GAPS)

Crunchy cucumber slices, luscious cream cheese, and smoked wild salmon are enough to make you swoon over this nutrient-dense appetizer. Top that with tart lemon slices, delicious capers, fresh and zesty dill, and the ever-popular Everything Bagel Seasoning.
Cook's Tips:

• An English cucumber works best for this recipe but if you don't have it local, use two regular cucumbers. Just remember they will most likely release more juice as soon as they are cut.
• To release the cream cheese from the knife, tip it at 45 degrees and press into the cucumber slice to help push it off. Use your fingers lightly if needed to keep it even on the cucumber slice.
• If you don't have Everything Bagel Seasoning from Trader Joe's, use equal parts sesame seeds, garlic powder, and granulated onion. You may also use Costco No-Salt Seasoning, which works amazingly well as a topping for this easy appetizer.
• Lemon slices: Peel the lemon before slicing it into thin triangles. To add extra tang, squeeze the lemon juice over the cucumber bites.
• Be sure the dill is dry for easier chopping and topping. Rinse the dill under cold water, then wrap it in a towel to absorb all the water. Allow it to air dry completely before chopping; otherwise, it will stick to the knife and your hands as you work with it. 

Ingredients:

• 1 English cucumber
• 4 ounces full-fat cream cheese
• 4 ounces smoked salmon
• 1 lemon
• 2 sprigs fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon Everything Bagel Seasoning

Directions:

• Slice the English cucumber into ¼" slices.
• Spread about a teaspoon of cream cheese on the cucumber slice.
• Top the cucumber slice with a small piece of smoked salmon. Twist the salmon to give it more dimension.
• Slice one-half of the lemon into thin slices, then quarter them to make small triangles. Cut the other lemon half into wedges and set aside.
• Top the cucumber appetizers with lemon triangles, fresh dill, and capers, and sprinkle with Everything Bagel seasoning.
• Squeeze the lemon wedges directly over the cucumber appetizers. Enjoy immediately, but if needed, refrigerate for up to one day.