BUCKWHEAT BAGELS
It is rewarding to finally come up with a bagel recipe that is chewy, vegan, and gluten-free. This recipe calls for lots of blueberries and pumpkin seeds. The wild blueberries are packed with nutrients and antioxidants that aid in building strong immune systems. Pumpkin seeds contain a considerable amount of vitamins E and B complex, magnesium, zinc, and omega-3s. They are also an excellent source of tryptophan, which is critical for a good night’s sleep. I highly recommend using your hands to knead this mixture well. It is not your typical gluten filled recipe. It may look dry when you are mixing it; it should resemble a thick cookie dough–type of mixture.
Ingredients
- 2 cups buckwheat flour
- ⅓ cup coconut flour
- ¾ cup arrowroot flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon or Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cups warm water about 110°F
- 1 tablespoon highly active yeast
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
- ½ cup ground flaxseed
- ¼ cup hemp hearts
- 2 cups blueberries see note
- ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
- Silicone mini bagel tray
Instructions
Steps:
- In a large bowl, combine the buckwheat flour, coconut flour, arrowroot flour, cinnamon, and salt. In a big glass bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and maple syrup. Let stand for a minute and then mix to combine. Add the coconut oil, flaxseed, and hemp hearts. Whisk to combine and let the mixture sit for no more than 2 minutes or it will get too gelatinous.
- Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing as you pour. I recommend using disposable gloves and mixing with your hands. Add the blueberries and pumpkin seeds and knead all the ingredients for about 3 minutes. The mixture will turn dark from the blueberry juice and resemble a very thick dough.
- Fill the silicone mini bagel tray with the dough. If you don’t have one of these, you can also line a baking sheet with parchment paper and form the dough into bagels by hand. Take about ¼ cup of the dough and form it into the shape of a bagel. Use your finger to make the hole in the middle.
- Let the bagels rise for 40 minutes. If you are lucky enough to have a humid day, that is ideal, or you can use the bread proofing function on your oven, which is between 75°F and 90°F.
- About 20 minutes before the bagels are done rising, preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the bagels for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
- I highly recommend toasting the bagels before serving if you are not eating them right out of the oven. Store extra bagels in an airtight container and refrigerate up to a week. If freezing extras, I recommend preslicing the bagels for convenience, as this time saving trick will be helpful when thawing.
- NOTE: At times, I have switched up the blueberries for mashed bananas or added both. Either or both are essential because they add flavor as well as moisture.