Throwback Thursday: Everything Bagel with Cream Cheese

Thursday is my designated throwback day to tackle a classic dish and make it vegan.  This week it's also St. Patrick's Day, so I was conflicted about posting something non-St. Patrick's Day related.  But in the end, I was at my local health food store, Anelas Yoga and Wellness, and they had sprouted bagels AND I had just made a new batch ofCultured Cashew Cheese, and decision was basically made for me.

When I was in college, before I was vegan, I lived in a small Northern California town with the cutest every bakery that was Mexican and Jewish fusion- don't adjust your screen, that's what it was- called Los Bagels.  That place was AWESOME (and I'm sure still is, even without me visiting.  In addition to round bagels, they had a long straight bagel called a "slug" that had the Everything Bagel toppings- sesame, poppyseed, garlic, and onion.  I would get these all the time and loved them loaded up with cream cheese, sprouts, onions, tomato, cucumber, avocado, EVERYTHING.  

I really fell in love with the "Everything Bagel" there.  Once I became vegan, I realized that most bagels have an egg wash and so it limits my bagel options considerably, and I haven't come across a vegan everything bagel in the supermarket.  But, there are good bagel options- so what's a girl to do?  Make her own?  That's really intimidating to me, involving several steps, but if you are into it, here are two recipes to try:

Whole Wheat Bagels from The Happy Herbivore

Multigrain Bagels from Seitan is my Motor

If, like me, you just want to buy your bagels, just check the ingredients.  Generally, egg is the only animal ingredient I see on bagels, but with baked goods you might check for milk/whey/butter/casein/lactose, and L-cystine (derived from hair and feathers and used as a dough condioner- I know, gross).  These sprouted wheat bagels from Alvarado St. Bakery are awesome, have 10g of protein (if you are into that sort of thing) and tasty.  Thomas's mini bagels are also vegan, if  you have fewer choices where you live.

Everything Cream Cheese 

So, in case you can't find an everything bagel, I came up with a solution- Everything Cream Cheese.  

2 Tbsp vegan cream cheese (I used my Cultured Cashew Cheese, but you can get Tofutti, Daiya, or Follow Your Heart cream cheese for this instead  If you don't want to wait for it to culture, this would be good with my Cultured Cashew Cheese even before it cultured.)

1/2 tsp each garlic granules, onion flakes (or chopped green onion), poppy seeds, and sesame seeds

Optional: red pepper flakes to your liking

Mix it all together and schmear on your toasted bagel

More Toppings

If you are feeling extra fancy, top it with a vegan smoked salmon/lox alternative like this amazingrecipe from Olives for Dinner that uses carrots (this one takes a couple days- so plan ahead).  

You could also simply top it with onion, capers, dill, and roasted red pepper.

Sprouts and or a slice of tomato would go great with this.

Go a bit sweet and add a thin layer of jalapeño jelly.

Or go sweet and simple and just schmear and go.