Homemade Everything Bagel BLT
[Vegan]

To Make the Tofu Bacon:

1. Mix together the water, soy sauce, maple syrup or brown sugar, vegan Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, and smoked paprika (if using). Place the marinade in a rectangular container that fits the block of tofu.
2. If you have the time, press your tofu in between two paper towels (or in a tofu press) to get some of the liquid out, then slice into thin and even slices.
3. Place the tofu in the marinade and place in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours.
4. Place the tofu strips on a non-stick silicone baking mat or parchment paper and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours at 200°F. Alternatively, you can do this in a food dehydrator. Keep flipping the tofu every 30 minutes.
5. While you’re baking the tofu, you can start to make the bagels.

To Make the Bagels:

1. Place the water, sugar, and yeast in a small bowl and let the yeast activate for 10 minutes.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour and salt together. Once the yeast has activated, mix the water mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well. Knead for 5-7 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Let rise for 1 hour while covered with a kitchen towel.
3. Mix all of your bagel toppings (sesame seeds, poppy seeds, coarse salt, and onion flakes) in a small bowl.
4. Boil 3 liters of water with the 1 teaspoon of salt and baking soda. Once boiling, lower the heat and shape your bagels once the hour has elapsed.
5. Take out your dough and divide it into eight equal pieces. To form the bagels, form each piece into a small bun and lay them on a hard surface. While keeping the seams (if any) underneath, from the top, poke the middle of the bun with one of your index fingers. Once your index has reached the hard surface beneath, pick up the bagel and enlarge the hole so that your two index fingers by making a circular motion.
6. Place on the baking mat until you have shaped all of the bagels.
7. Place the bagels into the boiling water for 45 seconds to 1 minute on each side.
8. Once the time has elapsed, place the bagels on the baking sheet and top with the seeds.
9. Bake for 25 minutes, start checking them at the 25-minute mark. Bake longer if needed. Place on a cooling rack.
10. Fry your tofu bacon in a frying pan with a bit of cooking spay or oil of choice. Fry on both sides as desired.
11. To assemble, layer your bagel with some vegan mayonnaise, a slice of tomato, some tofu bacon strips, and some salt and pepper.