More vegan substitutes for old favorites

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vegan-substitutes-for-old-favorites

My earlier posting that mentioned a few vegan meat substitutes drew a

delightfully informative comment from a reader named Nick about

finding even more varied and delicious meat substitutes at Whole

Foods Market South Loop at Roosevelt and Canal Street. Check out his

comment. I am grateful for the input. Thanks, Nick. Today's posting

addresses what to do about vegan substitutes for other food items,

such as dairy and bee spit.

 

 

 

Vegans, especially relatively new vegans, often wonder what to do

about eggs. I often just simply leave them out of the recipe.

Sometimes, it works, and sometimes, it doesn't. Experiment with your

former favorite recipes, and you'll begin to develop a feel for what

works for you and what doesn't. Over the years, I have discovered

that I like to use Ener-G Egg Replacer for baking, especially in such

standard recipes as the cornbread recipe adaptation that I featured

in an earlier posting. Ener-G Egg Replacer seems to work best for me

if I whisk the water into it first thing and let it set up while I am

assembling the rest of the recipe. I also like to use it in cookie

recipes. Cakes can be more problematic because they seem to me to be

more like well-timed and monitored chemistry experiments requiring

exact measurements of specific chemicals at precise temperatures with

no one jumping up and down and dancing on the kitchen floor during

the experiment. If you used to love eggs and want something

completely vegan that smells like them, tastes like them, cooks like

them, and feels like them, you may be disappointed. After you have

been a vegan for a few years and you've more or less forgotten what

eggs are like, you may find that you enjoy scrambled tofu. I like it

with Earth Balance margarine, fresh parsley, fresh bell pepper if I

have some on hand, and my favorite herbs and spices. It's delightful

with my favorite crusty bread. I enjoy using vegan mayonnaise for

potato salad, chickpea salad, and other recipes and on sandwiches.

And tofu in a blender or food processor with my favorite veggies,

herbs, and spices makes a yummy dip for chips. I also use tofu in

place of eggs and milk for my pumpkin pie and whipped topping.

 

As for milk substitutes, I had been a vegan for about five years

before I discovered soymilk. I have no idea how I had missed it, but

I'm certainly glad that I have it now. I love Silk and Edensoy Extra.

I use soymilk in baking and in coffee, on cereal, in potato soup and

other recipes, just plain by itself, and just about any way that

others might use cow milk. I have tried rice milk and almond milk,

but I prefer soymilk. Try all of them, and find the ones that are

right for you. I do branch out for other vegan dairy substitutes. I

love Rice Dream in cartons and on sticks and in sandwiches, and I

love Tofutti Cuties. I also love Silk soy yogurts, Silk

coffee " creamers, " and Tofutti's Better Than Cream Cheese and Sour

Supreme. I haven't found a recipe yet that the these substitutes

don't work for. The only thing that I have not been able to embrace

wholeheartedly is vegan cheese. I keep holding out hope, but perhaps

I've been too picky. I do, however, enjoy almonds in place of cheese

in many recipes, especially my homemade pizza. If any of you have

other ideas, I'd love to hear about them.

 

 

 

I haven't been able to eat honey since I heard a nonvegan,

nonvegetarian, retired Marine friend call it bee spit. The thought of

bee spit now makes me cringe. I'd probably be more content in life if

I didn't have such a vivid imagination. Fortunately, I have learned

that I really enjoy real maple syrup instead.