Vegan Cooking Tips

I wouldn't call myself a cook. I do love to bake though. Baking = eggs and milk. My first worry about being vegan - how in the world am I going to bake cakes and cookies and other various yummy things?! Thankfully I found this on http://www.exploreveg.org/ -

Egg-Free Cooking Options
These are some alternatives we have compiled to use as substitutes for eggs in recipes. Here's some ideas on how to bake a cake or cookies, make an omelet, or use egg substitutions in salads.

Eggs Used for Binding
To replace 1 egg for a binder you can use:
· 1 Tbsp soy flour + 1 Tbsp water
· 2 Tbsp flour + ½ Tbsp vegetable shortening + ½ tsp baking powder + 2 tsp water
· ½ of a banana
· 2 oz (or ¼ C) tofu blended with the liquid ingredients of the recipe
· Ener-G® Egg Replacer (instructions are on the box)
· If the egg is not being used for raising, it can be replaced with a similar amount of liquid such as soy milk, fruit juice, or even water.
· ¼ C applesauce, canned pumpkin or squash or pureed dates or prunes (this may make the recipe thicker, so adding an extra ½ tsp of baking powder can help)
· 2 Tbsp cornstarch + 2 Tbsp water
· 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed whipped together with ¼ C water
Eggs Used for Raising Purposes
If the egg you are replacing is being used for raising purposes (as in a cake) there are tips to improve this effect:
· use self rising flour
· add extra baking powder (about 2 heaped tsp per cake)
· instead of baking powder use baking soda mixed with apple cider vinegar (replacement is approx. ¾ tsp baking soda + 1 tsp cider vinegar per cake)
· an alternative version of that is when making pancakes, add an extra Tbsp of each lemon juice and baking soda
· if keeping the recipe the same, mixing dry and wet ingredients separately, then gently folding them together will trap air and improve the raising qualities

Making a Egg Replacer
To make a large quantity of egg replacer:
Simmer 1 C flax seeds and 3 C water (1:3 ratio) in a saucepan for 5 minutes (or until thick). Let cool before using in a recipe. This will make about 16 eggs worth and keep in the fridge about two weeks. Use ¼ C for each egg in the recipe.

Egg-free Salads, Scrambled Eggs, Omelets
To replace eggs in egg salad, scrambled eggs, omelets, etc., the best substitute is tofu:
Extra firm tofu, crumbled, and mixed with Vegenaise (or an egg-free mayonnaise), salt, pepper and turmeric makes a great egg salad. Of course you can also add onion and celery or mustard or whatever your heart desires! (Just make sure you refrigerate it overnight to let the flavors mix before enjoying it.) The same applies for replacing eggs in potato salad.
· Extra firm tofu can also be scrambled like eggs. Add a bit of oil to a skillet and cook the crumbled tofu until slightly golden. Again, some recipes will call for turmeric because it gives the tofu a yellowish color like eggs. An alternative to using turmeric is to add a little spice and to use an oil that is infused with chili peppers. This also gives the tofu a slight yellow color. Mix this with fried potatoes, sautéed greens, vegan sausage or steamed veggies and your favorite seasonings.
· Omelets are something not too many people think about making vegan. In fact, it is fairly simple. Just take firm tofu, and a couple Tbsp of corn starch with enough liquid (water, soy milk, etc.) to blend. Heat oil in a skillet and pour in about ½ C of the mixture. When it is slightly browned, flip and add your ingredients. Fold over, and it is ready! The fillings can also be stirred into the tofu mixture before it goes into the pan to make more of a pancake style omelet.
· Cubed firm or extra firm tofu also makes an excellent replacement for eggs as a salad topping. Since tofu has little to no flavor of its own, marinating it overnight can add awesome zest!
· Tofu can also be used to replace eggs in quiches. Just follow the regular recipe with firm tofu replacing the eggs. (About 1lb of tofu is needed per quiche)

Egg-Free Casseroles
Another area eggs are used is as a binding agent in casseroles and such:
Cooked oatmeal or rice can be mixed with any egg replacer (such as the ones stated in the previous list) to hold together burgers or ‘meat’ loafs.
· Mashed potatoes or instant potato flakes (check for vegan varieties) also make a good replacement
· Always use egg replacement equal to the number of eggs the recipe calls for, but you can also add tomato paste, whole wheat flour or cornstarch for additional binding
· Bread or cracker crumbs finely ground will also add substance