Herby Courgette Arla LactoFREE Cream Cheese Bagel
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Herby Courgette Arla LactoFREE Cream Cheese Bagel

Does it get more classic than a cream cheese bagel? If you’re someone who finds them uninspiring rather than mouth-watering, this recipe is here to change your mind. We’ve put a nutritious and tasty twist on this ultimate brunch dish by adding some delicious fillings and serving it with a fresh homemade gazpacho. And the best bit? The entire recipe is lactose-free thanks to our Arla LactoFREE Whipping & Cooking Cream and Arla LactoFREE Soft Cheese
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https://www.arlafoods.co.uk/recipes/herby-courgette-lactofree-cream-cheese-bagels/

Instructions

Method
  • Reserve a tablespoon of the chopped cucumber and tomatoes and a few herbs for garnish (keep these in the fridge), then place the remaining ingredients in a food processor and blitz until smooth.
  • Season to taste, then transfer to a large bowl or jug and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
  • To make the bagels, brush the courgette ribbons with olive oil and grill for 5 minutes on each side, or until charred and soft. Toss in a bowl with the honey, white wine vinegar, coriander seeds and ⅓ of both herbs. Season well and set aside.
  • Combine Arla LactoFREE Soft Cheese with the remaining herbs and chopped cornichons and brine and season to taste.
  • Spoon a dollop of the soft cheese on the bottom half of a bagel, followed by the grilled courgettes and handful of salad leaves. Place the top half of the bagel on with a gentle squeeze and repeat.
  • Pour the chilled soup into bowls and top with the reserved garnishes. Drizzle with Arla LactoFREE Whipping & Cooking Cream and serve alongside the bagels for dipping.
Enjoy!
How to make our cream cheese bagel with gazpacho

Whether you’re looking for a healthy lunch option or something that will wow your friends the next time you have them around for brunch, this healthy cream cheese bagel recipe couldn’t be easier to make.

Tip

Lightly grilling them or frying the bagels in a little olive oil (just a drizzle) to give them a toasted texture before you add any fillings.

Tip

Storing any spare bagels in a paper bag at room temperature.

Tip

Soaking stale bagels briefly in water and then baking them in the oven for five minutes. They’ll be as good as new!

Cream cheese bagels frequently asked questions

What goes well with cream cheese in a bagel?
While cream cheese is tasty on its own, why not jazz your bagel up by adding some extra ingredients? Salmon is an obvious choice but not for everyone. Instead, try adding ribbons of grilled courgette like in our recipe. Not only do they add a lovely melt-in-your-mouth texture (just like smoked salmon) but courgette also counts towards your five-a-day! You could also add slices of avocado, fresh tomatoes, or even a handful of peppery rocket to enhance the overall flavour. Cream cheese also pairs well with thin slices of red onion or shredded carrot. Toss on some extra seasonings, such as fresh herbs, capers, or toasted sesame seeds, and you’ve got the bagel of your dreams.
Is a bagel with cream cheese healthy?
Eating the occasional cream cheese bagel is absolutely fine as long as you’re supporting it with a healthy diet. The other ingredients you add to your bagel will make a difference too. We’ve used courgette as a filling and paired it with a healthy, veg-packed gazpacho. If you follow our bagel and gazpacho recipe, you’ll also be using 200g of Arla LactoFREE Soft Cheese and 60g of Arla LactoFREE Whipping & Cooking Cream – both of which collectively contain 506 calories. Split between four people, that’s just 126.5 calories per serving.
Should you toast a cream cheese bagel?
If you’re buying your bagels from a bakery or baking your own, you might not need to toast them if they’re still warm and fresh. If they’ve cooled down a lot or come out of a packet, you’ll want to lightly toast them to add some texture.

Ingredients

For the Gazpacho
Red peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped
2
Cucumber, roughly chopped
1
Vine tomatoes, roughly chopped
600 g
Small bunch mint, leaves picked
Red chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped
½
Garlic cloves, peeled (optional)
2
Extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
60 ml
Sherry vinegar
3 tbsp
Arla® LactoFREE Whipping and cooking cream
4 tbsp
For the bagels
Courgettes, sliced into ribbons
3
Olive oil
1 tbsp
Honey
2 tsp
White wine vinegar
1 tbsp
Coriander seeds, toasted and crushed
1 tbsp
Small bunch fresh basil, finely chopped
Small bunch dill, finely chopped
Arla® LactoFREE Cream cheese
200 g
Gherkins, finely chopped, plus 2 tbsp of brine
8
Bagels (can be gluten-free), halved and toasted
4
Salads leaves
80 g
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