KETO Gravlax Bites

KETO Gravlax Bites

    This is the perfect substitution for that Sunday morning salmon lox and bagel! Or a healthy appetizer at brunch! Being newer to Keto, I'm always trying to come up with new ways of eating the foods I love. Anyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE bread. Pasta included. SO when I decided to make the huge lifestyle change to a Ketogenic deit, I knew I would have to get creative. These bites are so fun and easy to make, not to mention guilt free! And having the right, high quality salmon for this makes ALL the difference!

    

    First things first! I used Gravlax salmon for this over a Lox and Nova Smoked salmon. What's the difference? Typical Lox is salmon that is never cooked but cured in a salty brine. Gravlax is a Nordic salmon that has also been cured in a brine with the addition of dill. Additionally Glavlax can have juniper berries, horseradish, aquavit or vodka in the brine for added flavor. Smoked Salmon has been brined, then either hot or cold smoked afterwards using various woods for flavor. Also, it can come from any part of the fish (not just the belly).

I happened to have a Citrus Vodka brined lox with dill from Whole Foods which was SOOO good and flavorful! However, any salmon you have will work! 

 

       What's great about these little guys is that you can customize them however you want, depending on what you have in the fridge. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 Large Cucumber (peeled and sliced)
• 3/4c Cream Cheese (any variety is ok!)
• 1/2 c Raw Arugula
• 1 4oz package of any variety of Salmon Lox  
• 1/4c red onion (minced)
• Everything seasoning (to taste)
• A dash of salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions:

         In this recipe, I used only 6 simple ingredients to make the bites. Starting at the base, I peeled one large cucumber and sliced it into about 1/4" slices. Next layer is cream cheese. I happened to have Philidephia spinach and artichoke cream cheese and decided to use that. Any cream cheese will work. I usually always have a veggie cream cheese and have used that in the past as well and it's just fantastic. Even plain cream cheese is good! No cream cheese? Sour cream will work as well or really, any vegan spread is a great alternative too. The next layer is arugula. Just add a couple leaves on each bite. I just love the peppery taste arugula gives to a dish. If u have any lemon, toss the arugula in some lemon juice and oil to elevate it and add some acidity. Otherwise, plain arugula is good too. No arugula? Totally fine to skip it or add whatever greens you have on hand. Top the arugula with your salmon, followed by some minced red onion and finished with an 'everything' seasoning (poppy, sesame seed, salt and pepper, garlic mixture). If you don't have the 'everything' seasoning, be sure to season with a pinch of salt and pepper!

ENJOY!!