The Incredible Edible Egg-replacers
We all have heard the phrase "The Incredible Edible Egg" because the American Egg Board has pounded that into our heads with advertising on television and radio. It seems every cookbook I have ever opened, excluding vegan, has the use of eggs in the recipes. I also know it can be frustrating to have lifelong recipes that seem like they will never work without eggs. Well here are a few replacers that I like to use when substituting for the common egg.
As we all know eggs can do numerous things to a recipe; bind, fluff, moisten or thicken. My first choice in substitutions is ground flax seed. Although it doesn't work for all applications it is a healthy choice. Flax seeds are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids and are a stable in vegan diets. I like to use flax seeds as a binder in most cases. When substituting, 1T flax seed +3T water whisked until frothy, equals one egg. Just remember that flax does have a nutty flavor.
When baking muffins and cakes I think about using bananas or applesauce. Both of which are great binders as well as moisteners. Using 1/2 mashed banana is worthy of 1 or 2 eggs, and 1/4 cup applesauce will yield about 1 egg. Please note that using a banana will flavor your recipe as such.
There are two commercial egg replacers that I use, Ener-G Egg replacer and Bob's Red Mill. I have one of these available in my pantry at all times. From a nutritional standpoint I use this when all else fails, because there is not much else to get out of it. It works well in baked goods, such as cookies and cakes. Read the container for the proper ratio.
Silken tofu is the final egg substitute to mention. Silken, when you process it, will give you a creamy, smooth texture. It is perfect for custards, puddings and mousses. Tofu is very forgiving, making it easy to work with. Use 1/4 cup processed to equal 1 egg.
These certainly aren't the only ways to replace eggs, but they are very effective. So go try these suggestions on your next non-vegan recipe and see what happens.
Egg-less Egg Salad
1 box Silken tofu, extra firm
1T lemon juice
2t agave
1T nutritional yeast
1t mustard, ground
1T brown rice vinegar
1T apple cider vinegar
1T turmeric
1t garlic powder
1 stalk celery, small dice
2 scallions, thinly sliced
5 gherkins, thinly sliced
salt to taste
- Place all ingredients in a bowl, except celery, scallions and gherkins, and mash well with a fork until well incorporated.
- Then fold in the remaining ingredients.
Serve atop a garden salad or make a sandwich.
Enjoy.
vegan chef period.
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