Garden Veggie Cream Cheese

When it comes to breakfast, do you tend to have a sweet or savory tooth? I flip back and forth depending on my mood but I prefer savory breakfast dishes first and then finish it off with something sweet. When it comes to bagels, my typical order at a local cafe is a jalapeno cheddar bagel which I top with a garden vegetable cream cheese. The savory combination hits the spot every time. Since I made a sweet cream cheese spread for my recent brunch, I naturally had to include a savory option.

For all the times I’ve ordered my jalapeno bagel with veggie cream cheese, I’m surprised I waited so long to make this spread. The garden veggie cream cheese I usually order has bits of carrot, bell pepper, onion and some dried herbs. I figured I could play with the ingredients I had and did my best to recreate it at home. The result? My veggie spread was definitely better than what I’ve been ordering from the cafe. It has a good amount of color and texture from the fresh vegetables and a nice hint of fresh dill mixed in. This went well with my guests since I didn’t have any leftovers after the brunch so I plan on making this again to keep on hand!

1 brick (8oz) neufatchel cream cheese (light or regular cream cheese)
1/2 teaspoon fresh dill, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup finely minced carrot
1/4 cup finely minced bell peppers (red/yellow/orange/green)
1 scallion, thinly sliced (green part only)

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients above. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. (If you can make it a day in advance, the flavors meld and becomes even better!)