This post is my back to school "semi-homemade" weeknight dinner. It's not a recipe per se, but more so a meal and product review. Believe it or not, I didn't make these bagels from scratch! It's actually very nice to be able to find delicious, non-GMO gluten-free vegan bagels. The brand is Sweet Note and their bagels are absolutely amazing in texture and taste. I bought a pack of their Everything flavor recently and it's loaded with all the good stuff bagels should be: garlic, onion, poppy seeds, magic! They're the perfect savory canvas for pizza bagels! Since I wanted to keep the pizza toppings minimal and also as least processed as possible, I opted for a simple Margherita pie. I topped the bagels simply with homemade tomato sauce and fresh basil. I also indulged and bought a real treat...something I've been wanting for a very long time...
I also love the simple ingredient lists of both the bagels and the cheese. It's very easy to make a vegan "junk food" meal of lots of processed foods these days. I try to avoid eating too many of these foods since I know eating more simply and mindfully is best for the body and to optimize nutrient intake for the meal. And, since weeknights can be so busy and hectic, it's nice to have a simple meal you can throw together that will satisfy you while also being healthful. Besides, isn't it BEAUTIFUL?! I toyed with the idea of using fresh tomato slices for these bagels instead of sauce. However, I wanted a warm topping component to offset the basil and cold mozz. The flavors in the sauce were also a great complement to the bagel toppings. I didn't measure any ingredients for the sauce so I cannot give you an exact recipe, but I'll list everything for you here:
I heated it all up on the stove over medium-low heat and then blended it up to make it smooth! Top your bagel with the piping hot sauce and then immediately finish with the cheese and basil. That was easy, right? It's also cheaper than buying jarred sauce. ^_^ The cheese is very easy to work with. It's slightly less jiggly than dairy mozzarella and more creamy, which I enjoy. It does have a bit of a "chewy" consistency to it when it's cold. I crumbled my mozz right on top of the hot bagels that were topped with hot sauce right off the stove, so it melted slightly. It behaves very much like you'd expect it to! The flavor is also spot on. It's mild, slightly tangy and buttery. Top all of that goodness with fresh basil, and you're in heaven. Luckily for your waistline, this fast meal is actually quite light. One whole bagel is roughly the size of a baseball, so you can eat the whole thing alone or have half and somethin' on the side. ;) Also, there's room for dessert!
I'll leave you with one more photo that shows you just how loaded the tops of these bagels are. It's pretty amazing, considering their modest size. I hope you'll try this combo meal sometime soon. It's the perfect time of year for fun and fast meals. If you do, let me know what you think and what toppings you used! |
I'm Jess!This is my very first food blog! I post revised conventional recipes of foods that I hold near and dear to my heart. My cooking here is all gluten-free and cruelty-free, but full of flavor and comfort. Archives
December 2017
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