Berry-ful Gluten Free and Vegan Bagels (Allergy-Friendly)

I have a lot of true loves in my life. My bed. Loaded smoothie bowls. Even one or two humans make the list. As Valentine's Day creeps closer, however, something else is winning over my heart and taste buds: these berry-ful "Be My Valentine" Bagels.

Thanks to some help from BFree Foods, this is the easiest - and one of the tastiest - Valentine's breakfasts you can ever make your loved one. It's also one of the most allergy friendly: besides being gluten free and vegan, this recipe is also free of soy, nut, dairy and wheat. And who would turn down a bagel that is (baked and/or decorated) full of love!?!

It also doesn't hurt that yesterday was National Bagel Day...making this breakfast the perfect late celebration. And what's a better way to celebrate than digging into a fluffy, light bagel topped with creamy sunflower butter, juicy berry hearts, crunchy seeds and chewy raisins? 

I have another confession to make, too. BFree Foods recently sent me a sample of all of their products...and Cupid must've hit me with his arrow because I am addicted. So far, my family and I have tried the plain hot dog buns (a little fragile, but super fluffy!); the quinoa and chia wrap (according to my gluten-lovin' dad: "Not bad." And the extra protein sure doesn't hurt!); the multigrain wrap (I used it for a pizza base...it toasted up nicely and held its own against all my veggie toppings!) and, of course, lots of plain bagels.

True, I've never baked my own bagels before...but I don't know why I'd want to with these babies only a shopping cart away! Fluffy yet not falling apart, and plain but with no funky gluten free aftertaste. Just in time for Valentine's Day, I am most definitely in love...

A few of my favorite taste tests so far...

To get your own bagel bonanza started, gather a few simple ingredients. As usual, think of this recipe as more of a blueprint than hard-and-fast rules. Now let's get rollin' (pun intended).

For one half of a bagel:

1 bagel slice (I use BFree Foods, but you can choose your favorite homemade or store-bought bagel)

1 jar of nut butter of choice (I love sunflower butter and Kalot Superfood's chocolate cashew butter)

Fruit like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and banana

Pumpkin, sunflower and chia seeds (feel free to use crushed nuts as well)
Homemade chocolate sauce (mix a little water or coconut oil with cacao powder) or homemade acai sauce (mix a little water or coconut oil with acai powder instead)

This recipe is as simple as breakfast can get. You can either start with a plain bagel or toast it in the toaster or broiler. Then, cover half the bagel in sunbutter and half in chocolate cashew butter. Cut your berries or banana in heart shapes and place them on the bagel. Then, sprinkle on your seeds, mix and drizzle the sauce and add another swirl of nut butter if you feel so inclined.

That close up...

As usual, feel free to go crazy with the toppings. If you're craving a creamy, cold treat, add chia seed pudding or coconut yogurt. For a more decadent taste, add chocolate chips and microwave/bake the bagel until melted. Other kinds of nut butter, whipped cream (or aquafaba), white chocolate or candy is totally game. After all, it is almost Valentine's Day (AKA the national holiday of chocolate)!

And, sometimes, we don't have time for a complex Valentine's Day brunch - as much as we might hope we would. Or, sometimes we burn the pancakes, forget to buy more eggs or feel more like lying in bed with our loved ones than slaving over the stove. And this Valentine's Day, I'm here to reassure you that a lazy holiday is A-freakin'-OK...especially when you have bagels on your side.

Because nothing says, "Be My Valentine" like a bagel full of berry-licious love...


*I receive these products in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts, opinions and recipes are my own.*

*Also found at VegetarianMama, What's Cookin' Wednesday, Pretty Pintastic, Saucy Saturdays, What's Cookin' Wednesday, Snickerdoodle Sunday*

What's your favorite Valentine's Day breakfast? What would you top this bagel with? Tell me your thoughts before!