These are the best bagels I’ve ever had! No joke.

But truthfully, I’ve never loved bagels. I know, probably not the best way to begin one of the most exciting meals I’ve ever made but just hear me out.

I’ve never loved bagels. I’ve never understood the appeal of the bagel. I’ve never eaten a bagel and thought wow I feel so satisfied - isn’t that great. When eating bagels I usually feel nothing and still hungry and then pain because I have eaten gluten, which I am allergic to.

So all in all until this moment, I can say I haven’t loved bagels.

The only bagels I’ve actually enjoyed in my life were cinnamon raisin bagels as a child and those are the only type of bagel I would ever eat. I must have really loved those cinnamon and raisins.

Because I now realize one critical element to my bagel hating was missing. I was only hating on bagels because my body has always been allergic to wheat and gluten. They didn’t make me feel good. So I avoided them. Therefore, traditional bagels - not my friend.

But these bagels are completely different! First of all they’re baked. Second, they’re grain free and paleo. They do contain eggs but otherwise they are completely allergen friendly.

This batch makes four bagels but you can double or triple it if you want to make more.

Ingredients Used:

Cassava: Cassava is native to Brazil and South America. It’s similar in shape to a sweet potato but is longer and brown on the outside. Inside the flesh is white. Like sweet potatoes and yams, cassava is also a tuber that is often made into a flour or is eaten on it’s own just like a potato. This root vegetable can be use as a substitute for many potato based recipes. Its flour may also act as a 1:1 flour replace in some recipes as well. Cassava flour is a fantastic anti-inflammatory plant to use. And it’s what we are using in this recipe. I use Otto’s Cassava flour exclusively and usually buy mine on Amazon, linked here.

I have used other cassava flours as well but this brand has been the best from my experience.

Tapioca starch: Tapioca starch comes from the cassava plant and is the starch of the cassava root. If you need to replace this you can try using arrowroot flour instead. But please not I have not tried it with this recipe. If you do, please let me know. Tapioca starch can be found on Amazon or at most grocery stores including Whole Foods and places like Shop Rite. And if you’re looking for a literal steal, go to your Asian market - extra points if it’s Chinese owned such as 99 Ranch where you’ll find tapioca starch for .99 cents or $1.99 sometimes. I know, it’s wild!

Palm Shortening: I use palm shortening as a replacement for butter in many of my baked goods. It works well in many recipes. I don’t have any one brand I am loyal to and either purchase a box at Whole Foods or on Amazon.

Baking Powder: I’ve started using a grain free baking powder from Otto’s and it works extremely well in this recipe. You can also use baking soda if you don’t have a grain free baking powder on hand.

Poppy Seeds: I usually purchase these in bulk from my local bulk herb store or online but have also gotten them at the grocery store. Whole Foods, Mom’s, Walmart, etc.

Forager’s Blend: Forager’s blend is just another name for everything bagel seasoning and I make my own at home because I like to add seaweeds and plant medicine to my batch. You’ll find this for a couple bucks at Trader Joe’s and it’s called Everything But The Bagel or you could make your own. If you opt to make your own, you’ll need: poppy seeds, black and white sesame seeds, dried garlic and onion granules, and flakey sea salt. I also like to add in nettle seeds sometimes and

Poppy & Everything Bagels:

Ingredients:

(Makes 4 small/medium sized bagels)

Bagels:

3 eggs
50g or 1/4 cup palm shortening
130g or 3/4 cup cassava flour
70g or 1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/8th tsp salt, or a pinch
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 to 1/2 cup warm water
pot of boiling water
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1 tbsp forager’s blend

Forager’s Blend (aka: Everything but the bagel seasoning)

1 tbsp poppy seeds
1 tbsp dried garlic granules
1 tbsp dried onion granules
1 tbsp white sesame seeds
1 tbsp black sesame seeds
1 tbsp dulse (optional)
1 tbsp nettle seeds (optional)

Preparations:

Make your bagel seasoning in advance by combining all the ingredients in a small jar, shake it up and store it in the cupboard.
To make the bagels, crack two eggs into a bowl and beat them together with a whisk or a fork. Add in the palm shortening and mash together with a form until the shortening begins to soften a bit and blend in with the eggs.
Add in the flours, baking powder and salt and stir together until a big clump of dough begins to form. At this point, you may notice your dough is a bit dry. You’re going to slowly pour in small droplets of water as you continue to knead the dough. You want your water to be warm to the touch but not scalding - we don’t want to burn ourselves here.
Continue shaping and molding your dough by adding a bit of water as needed or more cassava flour if it becomes too dry.
Once your dough is shaped well, cut it into fourths and begin shaping each piece into a circle. Take your pointer finger and “drill” a hole through the center of each ball and gently move your finger clockwise around the middle as you pad the sides of the dough ensuring that it doesn’t crack as you increase the size.
Water Bath: When you have your dough the size you want, bring a large pot of water to a boil and drop each bagel in with a ladle and give it a water bath for 30 or so seconds. They are ready to remove from the water when they rise to the top. This should only take 30 seconds to a minute or so.
Transfer the bagels to an oil coated baking pan with parchment paper and lay your bagel on top.
Make the egg wash: Crack your last egg into a small dish and beat it with a fork. Brush each bagel top with the egg wash and then add the poppy and foragers blend seasoning to it.
Bake: Bake your bagels for 25-30 minutes at 350F. Consume immediately and store the rest in the fridge for up to five days.

Poppy seed & Everything Bagels