Bagels can be problematic because store bought bagels often contain something called l-cysteine which has multiple sources which can include the hair and feathers of animals. It also can be made from human hair which would probably make it vegan, but similar to animal hair and feathers still falls into the gross category. It is also sometimes made from coal tar-not really something I want to be consuming either.
Luckily it isn't as hard as you might think to make your own and bagels often freeze well so you can make them in large batches and freeze some. These actually come out fine without kneading. It also doesn't require exact measuring and the recipe can be doubled, tripled, halved etc. If you are going to double or triple you may need a very large bowl or perhaps multiple bowls. You will also need a very large baking tray or multiple trays. It is also helpful to have a deep spoon that is several inches deep or a basket.
On another note the oil is not a requirement but does make the bagels a bit softer.
Ingredients
About 2 cups warm (not hot) water
1 packet yeast
Optional: 1 Tablespoon oil
1/2 tsp salt
About 6 cups whole wheat flour, possibly as many as 8 cups
A separate 6-8 cups water (boiling)
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup earth balance or parchment paper
1. Add the yeast to the warm water and wait a few minutes.
2. Add the oil, then the salt, and then the flour until the dough is strong enough to hold a loose ball shape. Let the dough rise for about one hour. You may want to consider covering the bowl with a towel. For those not familiar with the term rise, it basically means leave the dough alone for about an hour, preferably in a slightly warm location.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the baking soda with the second set of water and boil. Prepare a baking tray either with 1/4 cup earth balance or parchment paper. Do not go light on the earth balance as the bagels tend to stick easily.
4. Divide the dough into portions and make into a snake shape. Then combine the two ends to make a circle shape. Make sure to leave a decent size hole as it will tighten during baking and boiling.
5. Be careful and consider using gloves here. Once the water mixture is boiling place each bagel in a basket/deep spoon and lower one at a time into the solution for about 30 seconds each and then place on the baking tray. Do not leave the bagels in for much longer than this.
