The bond between girl and cinnamon-sugar is strong.
So strong, in fact, that it will cause said girl to leave her home at 6:50am to get a warm, fresh-out-of-the-oven, Cinnamon Crunch Bagel from her local Panera.
That girl is me. It’s true. I have been lusting after a warm, chewy, sweet and satisfying cinnamon crunch bagel from Panera for days. Today, I FINALLY gave in and it was spectacular!
Pillowy and chewy, with pockets of cinnamon sugar throughout the dough. Let’s not forget about the cinnamon-sugar crunch on top. It’s the best part!
I slowly chewed each bite to make it last. Ok, let’s be real, I hoovered down the bottom half, got sad that there was only the top half left – then savored that. 
Lunch wasn’t nearly exciting, but still thirst quenching and delish. I had to return a sweater at a store near my home – this sweater:
(it got a hole after washing it once, and they took it back without the tags, boo yah!) so I stopped and made myself a thick, cold Green Monster at home. Same ingredients per usual!
After work I set out for a run on the same path my Mom and I walk on in the mornings. The entire route is lined with crab apple trees in all different colors – fuschia, pink and white – and I wanted to see them in the daylight before all the blooms flutter away. Gorgeous! Definitely made my brutal run a little more tolerable. That route is super hilly…although for every uphill there is a downhill, so I suppose I can’t complain too much!
I got right to work on dinner when I got home, so it could cook itself while I was in the shower! Baked Sesame-Soy Tofu, Brown Rice & Sautéed Spinach!
I’m fairly certain that 12 year old me would slap present day me if I tried to serve her this – but I promise you, it was eye-closingly delicious!
I started by preheating my oven to 400 degrees and mixing up the marinade for my tofu. Soy sauce, agave nectar (you could use honey), sesame oil, garlic powder and onion powder. I put it in a tupperware container with a tight fitting lid and SHOOK!
See?
Then I added it to a ziplock back with a block of pressed, extra-firm, cubed tofu and tumbled the bag until everything was coated.
Meanwhile, I started cooking my brown rice and added a little bit of the tofu marinade to the pot to give the rice some extra flavahhhh.
The tofu went into the preheated oven for 17 minutes and came out crunchy and yummy.
To round out my meal, I quickly sautéed some green onion and chopped garlic in 1 teaspoon of EVOO, then added 2 big handfuls of spinach and cooked until the spinach had wilted, ~1 minute.
All together now!
Seasoned brown rice: Win.
Fresh, sauteed spinach: WIN!
Baked Sesame-Soy Tofu: WIN!!!
I just love this meal – I can’t get enough!
I need to make sauteed spinach more often, because this was just dynamite. The simple flavors of garlic and olive oil, with a hint of mild green onion, totally enhanced the fresh spinach. YUM.
And I know you know how much I love this ‘fu, so I’ll keep quiet.
I could eat this every night!
In other, I KNEW I WASN’T CRAZY, news, I found an article today that says alcohol worsens allergies. For years, every time I woke up after drinking alcohol, I’ve had a stuffy nose and sneezed more than usual. Not enough to be life hindering, and not each and every time, but enough to realize that there was a correlation between drinking alcohol and my symptoms the morning after. I’ve always told people I thought I was allergic to alcohol and they told me I was nuts!
Well, according to a study featured in this article, alcohol, which contains histamine produced by yeast and bacteria during the fermentation process, can set off common symptoms of allergies and hay fever like sneezing, itching and coughing. Yes, yes, yes!
Apparently it’s worse when you drink red or white wine, and if you’re a women. Rats. But, it least I can now say “HA!” to all the doubters! Have you ever had these symptoms post alcohol drinking??
Ok, I have to go pack. I’m getting out of dodge tomorrow!
Then 30 Rock, The Office, 30 Rock. New, new and new – finally! 
~~~~~
What are some of your go-to meals or ingredients?
I like baked tofu, obvi, but I also loooooove a good panini!
The Cinnamon Crunch Panera Bagels go on my top ten lists of the best things I have ever ate!
So amazing!
And let’s talking about amazing….that tofu is pretty amazing. I had tofu tonight too!
Have a wonderful evening love.
A grilled wrap (with tuna/chicken/whathaveyou) is one of my fave things to make – so easy and you can just throw in whatever you have in the fridge! I use Rocky Mountain flatbread wraps which are super thin and HUGE so it’s easy to roll them up
I just had to comment. I have that same spoon. They are so cute.
My go to meal is a homemade tofu burger either added to a spinach salad with sauteed peppers and onions and a tofu vinegar dressing or on a bagel with laughing cow and a veggie side.
Oh man, nothing beats a good Cinnamon Crunch Bagel!!! Nice choice!
~Christie
My go to meal is chicken rice and veggies! And the 12 year old me would slap me too if I tried to serve myself that meal, but it looks delicious!
Oh YUM!! From the bagel to the tofu, delicious!!! My go to meal is probably baked sweet potato fries and some kind of protein. Delish!
LOVE cinnamon crunch bagels!!!! O.M.G. so good. And you have also gotten me on a tofu kick
My go-to comfort food is a huge salad with greens, nuts, feta, gardenburger, green peppers, and dressing made with maple syrup and balsamic. mmmmmm
YES! The same thing happens to me after I drink! On a night of going out, I just assume I’m going to feel sick the next day…
and not just hungover sick. Like real, sore throat, stuffy nose sick! I’m glad it’s not just me!
I’m allergic to hops, so I don’t get those types of symptoms–If I drink a single beer (not to be too graphic), I start projectile-vomiting. I don’t have any problem if I drink wine or liquor, though.
That used to be my fave panera bagel! So good.
For a quick meal, baked tofu, or a chickpea salad
I don’t have any allergies, but every morning after a night of college drinking, I’d wake up all stuffed up. So, I believe it!
I always get a stuffy nose after one glass of red wine and I always wondered what was up with that! In the middle of the second glass it always feels like I just got an instant cold, and I get sleepy and stuffy and annoyed, so I stop. Nice find with that article! Feels good to know we’re not crazy
Oh my goodness, we’ve eaten your baked tofu twice since I discovered it last week and we LOVE it! My husband said he could eat it every day. It’s sooooo good!
I had never heard of a cinnamon crunch bagel! Dear God those look AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kind of makes me wish we had Panera in Canada! Drool . . .
GREAT post. Gotta get some of that bread…thanks a lot! Your run/walk path sounds breath-taking. I’m super jealous! And last, your dinner looks AWESOME! I like your note about your 12 year old self. Funny!
Oh, Panera, YUM!!
I might have to try your tofu recipe…it looks like something my husband would actually try, and maybe even like! Everything looks delicious!
My go-to, quick and easy meal is either a nice big salad with whatever ingredients I have on hand or we throw something on the grill!
I had IGE’s Tofu tonight again. LOVE IT. I have to get one of those Tofu Presses you showed once in your archives. Very cool. I can eat that whole block of Tofu, is that just wrong??
My go go meal is grilled chicken salad. Or upside down day, breakfast for dinner! Omelettes.
Was that a smily face I spied on your spoon/spatula thing? TOO CUTE!
Garlic, cinnamon, agave, soy or balsamic. If I’m unsure, I ALWAYS use those babies
And stuffed pasta, if I’m in a rush. You can’t fail
We just tried our first foray into tofu. I didn’t know you were supposed to press it. so it was a little soggy, kind of the consistancy of soft cooked egg white. So I did some reading and I have some ideas for next time. I also learned the tofu isn’t meant to be a meat substitute eaten in large quantities. A quarter cup is a serving.
OMG the cinnamon crunch bagel looks SO DELICIOUS! i know in the wintertime they also havea gingerbread bagel as their special! i was always wanting to get it!
that tofu looks so good! I legit could eat a block at a time, there is no serving size when it comes to tofu!
That spoon is crazy cute! I could swear it winked at me…
I’ve never cooked tofu before but this recipe is encouraging me to try. Oh, and I just bought some amazing super fine cinnamon sugar from kingarthurflour.com so I can relate to your breakfast. They say it MELTS on your toast!
yep im feeling ya on this allergic to booze thing. My allergies to pollen, dust, mold were worse as a child and faded as I grew older (I know I know, you hate me now). But i’ve definitley experienced these alcohol allergies you speak of a time or two. thanks for sharing that interesting info.
I ALSO THINK I’M ALLERGIC TO BOOZE!! Well, beer in my case. Every time I drink, I wake up the next day and literally cannot see out of one of my eyes. It sounds kind of funny, but it hurts so badly that I can’t drive for a few hours.
We tried your tofu recipe the other night, and it wasn’t “crunchy” like you mention…maybe I didn’t get it dry enough? I will have to try again! Have a great weekend!
I also have an allergic reaction (stuffy nose) to red wine; although it doesn’t stop me from having a glass or two
Apparently, you can have an allergy to the tannins in red wine.
That tofu looks amazing! I’m wondering if I could convince my husband to eat it?!
AH, I didn’t know alcohol worsened allergies!! I went out last night and woke up stuffier than I’ve been all week…now I know why!
I love cinnamon crunch bagels from Panera! So delicious!
Go to meal? I tend to make a lot of pasta. And frittatas – perfect for using up leftover anything.
Good to know about the alcohol-allergies connection. Ugh!
That is my favorite bagel. EVER. Followed closely by a jalapeno cheddar bagel. I haven’t lived near a Panera in over 7 years, and now I am super jealous of you!
I have been craving something cinnamonie all morning. That bagel looks delish! Sauted spinach has to be my fav, and my kids too. Which totally surprised me when I made it the first time months ago. I hated spinach as a kid, but lately (actually since getting the foodnetwork 4 months ago) I have been trying new recipes and it is amazing how your tastes change as you grow older. Things you hated as a kid you now love
CJ’S Bagel Shop in Ankeny makes those too! It’s an independent store…not a chain…and everything they have is YUMMY! I love the tuna salad & lettuce on an Asiago cheese bagel. It’s the best! They have soup & salads too! You should try it if you are in the area! It’s on Ankeny Blvd (The main drag running north & south) in a strip mall just north of 1st Street on the east side of the road. You will not be dissapointed..I promise! Go To Meal…probably a ham salad sandwich. Nothing to spectacular…but good! Or spaghetti w/Gino’s Marinara sauce.
I could use Sugar Free Log Cabin syrup on JUST ABOUt ANYTHING and be a happy camper
That’s my go-to ingredient!
Oh Yum! It has been so long since I have had a Cinnamon Crunch Panera Bagel. I know what I am going to have for breakfast tomorrow – good idea. Just discovered your blog – I live in Iowa and love it too!
Go to ingredient is definitely chicken breasts.
The tofu dish looks awesome. I toss mine up using tupperware too.
I miss Panera, but I have had the chance to bake a lot of my own bread here and the Portuguese make very good bread, so I am happy with that. My go to ingredient or meal would be tofu or some sort of veggie burger and then find a grain and veggie to go with it.
Tofu and vegetable stir fry is an absolute go-to as is either a simple pasta dish or chili/bolognaise. Yum.
Your tofu does look pretty gourmet though….has to be said!
Ahhh, the cinnamon crunch bagel is a favorite in our house too. Your baked tofu looks fab, and I love your time management strategy for dealing with brown rice — let it simmer while your in the shower!
You should drive through Water Works, hundreds and hundreds of trees in blossom! It’s breathtaking. I took many photos there the other night. Then walked around Gray’s Lake!
I used this marinade on some chicken with minced garlic and onion instead of powder, and a little orange zest and it was another AWESOME recipe from your site. Thanks again!
I used this marinade on some chicken with minced garlic and onion instead of powder, and a little orange zest and it was another AWESOME recipe from your site. Thanks again!
I’m loving the tofu marinade. In fact, I love the entire dinner – so healthful!
You should drive through Water Works, hundreds and hundreds of trees in blossom! It’s breathtaking. I took many photos there the other night. Then walked around Gray’s Lake!
My parents are mad about this cinnamon crunch bagels. I like the pumpkin muffies at Panera – at $1.19 a piece, they’re a nice, affordable 200-calorie snack.
My go-to meals are usually cereal with nuts sprinkled in!
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My daughter would feel awful after just a few beers. Turns out she was allergic to mold and yeast.