Sometimes on the weekends I wake up, take a shower, walk my dog and then make myself a steaming bowl of tortellini with tomato sauce for breakfast. This is often followed by eggs and hash browns for lunch. I don’t always eat foods at their proper time of day.

I’ve also been known to eat ice cream for breakfast.

I’m kidding…sort of.

I need more meals like this pizza. There is never a wrong time to eat this. Sure it’s a pizza, which means you can eat it for lunch or dinner and no one will question you. But it’s also dough topped with cream cheese and smoked salmon, so it’s basically like eating a large, flat bagel with lox. Totally cool for breakfast.

I actually ate half of this pizza for dinner. And then I toasted the rest of it for breakfast the next morning. I pretty much didn’t leave any for Chase.

I’m kidding of course…he did manage to get one slice.

Smoked Salmon Pizza w/ Sundried Tomato Cream Sauce

I loved the sauce on this pizza, but the flavor was pretty strong. If I were to go back I would spread a very thin layer on the pizza next time, which I’ve reflected in this version of the recipe. I also had a hard time deciding if I wanted creme fraiche or cream cheese, so I used both. If you only have one or the other on hand though I think it would still taste great either way.

1 baked pizza crust – store bought or homemade
2 oz cream cheese, softened
¼ cup crème fraiche
2 tablespoons chopped sundried tomatoes
4 oz smoked salmon
1 tablespoon capers

In a small bowl beat together the cream cheese and crème fraiche until combined. Stir in the sundried tomatoes, and spread over the cooked & slightly cooled pizza dough.

Top with the smoked salmon and sprinkle with capers. Enjoy at any hour of the day.

I think it’s time I clarify something about my diet. I know that I often tell people I’m a vegetarian, but a real vegetarian does not eat animal flesh of any kind. I, however, eat fish, which makes me a pescetarian. I tell people I’m a vegetarian because I think it’s a less-weird word than pescetarian. Try and tell your Southern relatives that you’re a vegetarian and they look at you like you’re speaking German. Tell them you’re a pescetarian and they look at you like aliens have abducted your body and taken over your brain. So I go for the lesser of two evils, it’s just a easier.

So yes, I eat fish and seafood. Why do I eat fish and not chicken or beef or pork? Well, of all the meats out there it has the least amount of fat, it’s chock full of healthy oils, and quite frankly, because I don’t feel as bad about eating fish as I do cute little lambs or cows.

And cause sushi is awesome.

And crab cakes are amazing.

And smoked salmon is heaven.

When it comes to cooking, I rarely prepare seafood myself. However, when I start craving some smoked salmon and don’t have any bagels or cream cheese on hand, this is what I make. It has olives and potatoes and fennel, which means that even without the salmon this salad still rocks my socks. Don’t underestimate the importance of the fennel in this salad. It gives you a crunch that would otherwise be missing, and the light, fresh flavor is the perfect contrast to the stronger tasting olives and salmon. I recommend eating this salad on a warm day, outside and in the sun. Adding sunshine will make it taste better, I swear.

Smoked Salmon Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette

Makes 2 salads.

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Salad
4 red new potatoes
½ cup pitted Kalamata olives
½ fennel bulb, chopped
fresh cracked black pepper
spring mix

Dressing
1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/8 teaspoon salt

Boil the potatoes until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain from water and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together red wine vinegar, olive oil, honey, thyme and salt to make the dressing.

Arrange spring mix in 2 bowls. Cut the potatoes into quarters and add to the salads. Sprinkle with olives and chopped fennel. Lay slices of smoked salmon over salad and drizzle with dressing. Spinkle with black pepper and dig in.