Vegan Substitutions
Here are a few suggestions for how you can modify recipes to make them 100% plant-based.
Milk
- Substitute a plant milk (almond, coconut, hemp, organic oat or soy) in a 1:1 ratio.
- Make your own cashew or almond milk:
- Combine 1 cup of raw cashews or almonds with 4 cups water in a high speed blender, such as a Vitamix.
- For best results (especially when using almonds), soak the nuts in water for 4 hours or overnight prior to blending.
- Strain through a nut bag or cheese cloth.
- Keep refridgerated. Stores well for 3 – 5 days.
Buttermilk
- Add 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar to 1 cup plant milk.
Cream
- Cashews make a great cream substitute.
- Mix 1 cup cashews with 1/4 to 1/2 cup water and blend.
- Start with less water and add more until you get your desired consistency.
- To add sweetness, try including a touch of maple syrup, a bit of sea salt and natural vanilla extract.
- For a savory flavor, add your favorite herbs and/or spices.
Sour Cream
- Use plain soy yogurt.
Butter
- Use olive oil or coconut oil instead of butter.
- Buy a vegan butter such as Miyoko’s. Ingredients are Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Cultured Cashew Milk, Filtered Water, Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Sunflower Lecithin, Sea Salt. There is no palm oil which is better for the environment.
- Try almond butter instead of oil or butter when baking.
Mayonnaise
- Try vegan mayonnaise such as Sir Kensington’s which is gluten-free and uses 100% sunflower oil and Aquafaba (the natural egg substitute made simply from chickpeas and water).
- You can also use a mashed avocado or guacamole, hummus or baba ganoush on sandwiches instead of mayo.
Cheese
- Use nutritional yeast flakes instead of cheese in recipes that call for parmesean.
- Tofu is also a great substitute for ricotta cheese in lasagne. Blend soft tofu in the food processor with a bit of fresh spinach, garlic or onion powder, salt and pepper for a tasty ricotta.
- Try Miyoko’s Creamery Double Cream Chive cheese which is made from organic, non-GMO cashews, coconut oil, chives, chickpea miso and other ingredients.
Eggs
- In baking, good egg substitutes include banana, applesauce, or soft tofu.
- You can also use ground flax or chia seeds. Use 1 Tablespoon ground seeds to 2 Tablespoons water and let sit for a few minutes as it creates a gel-like consistency.
- For making scrambled eggs, substitute tofu, such as in our tofu scramble recipe. You can also use tofu in quiches and custard and eggless “egg salad” sandwiches.
Gelatin
- Chia seeds make a great gelatin and puddings. See our recipes for a chia seed breakfast pudding and chia seed and coconut milk dessert.
- Agar, made from algae, is a great gelatin substitue as well and is used predominently in Asia for jellies, desserts and as a thickener in soups.
Broth / Stock
- For soups or making risotto, use a low-sodium vegetable broth instead of chicken or beef stock.
