Serves 1 in 10 minutes or less

Move over bagel, there’s a new schmear in town. This low-carb twist on the traditional “lox and bagel with cream cheese” has all the flavor, with none of the allergens and empty carbs. Just trade the bagel and cream cheese for crisp rice crackers and creamy avocado. (NOTE: Try using thin, little Japanese-style “sembei” crackers (in the international isle of the store), rather than a “rice cake”, which is thick and crumbles easily). The smoked salmon delivers ~15 grams of protein with a dose of essential fatty acids to reduce inflammation and create soft skin. It pairs perfectly with the slivered veggies to make this a fast and easy breakfast that’s full of flavor and fun! 

1/2 avocado, mashed
¼ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 ounces Nova Scotia lox
8 thin slices of cucumber
8 thin slices of shallots (or red onion)
4 thin slices of ripe tomato (I love the tangy, red Campari tomatoes) 
1 teaspoon of capers
4 rice crackers
Black pepper, freshly ground
¼ teaspoon lemon juice and a few very thin slivers 

Gather and prep the ingredients. Mash the avocado with the lemon juice. Spread it evenly on 4 rice crackers and top with a slice of lox, then very thinly sliced cucumber, shallot and tomato. Garnish with a few capers, a squeeze of lemon juice, a grind of black pepper and you’ve got a tasty treat that packs enough protein to get you lunch!