Vegan Tricks & Treats

Happy Halloween from The Daily Vegan!

First, for the tricks...

 

I've mentioned replacing eggs in recipes with one tablespoon of ground flaxseed mixed with three tablespoons of water. Here are some other handy substitutions for eggs from The Complete Guide To Vegan Food Substitutions by Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman:

 

1. Use 2 tablespoons water whisked with 2 tablespoons flour. Best used in recipes such as puddings, casseroles, and other egg-heavy dishes.

 

2. Use 1/4 coconut milk per egg. The amount of fat naturally contained in coconut milk replaces the fat found in eggs. Be careful if you're not a fan of the coconut flavor, as it tends to dominate the recipe.

 

3. Use 1/4 cup non-dairy pudding (store-bought or homemade) for each egg needed in a recipe. This works well in baking and you can adjust the flavor of the pudding used to suit the needs of the recipe.

 

4. Use 1/4 cup non-dairy yogurt for each egg. This works well in sweet and savory recipes. You can adjust the flavor of the yogurt used to suit the needs of the recipe.

 

5. Mix 1 teaspoon of nut butter (peanut, almond, sunflower) into 1/4 cup non-dairy milk. Works best in cookie recipes. Be careful if you are not a fan of strong-flavored nut butters, as it will take the lead in the recipe.

 

6. Add 1/4 cup silken tofu (found on the shelf rather than the refrigerated section), blended into the liquid ingredients called for in the recipe to replace one beaten egg. Works best in muffins and cakes, as tofu contributes to a softer texture.

 

7. Pumpkin, carrot, butternut squash, and sweet potato purees work especially well. Add 1/4 cup to replace one egg. Works well in cake or muffin recipes.

 

And now for the treats...

 

Treat One: Cinnamon-Raisin French Toast
From www.pcrm.org (Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine)
Makes 6 slices

Ingredients:
1 cup fortified plain or vanilla soy or rice milk
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6 slices cinnamon-raisin bread
vegetable oil spray

Directions:
Combine nondairy milk, flour, maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon in a blender.
Blend until smooth, then pour into a flat dish.
Soak bread slices in batter until soft but not soggy. The amount of time this takes will vary depending on the bread used.
Cook in a vegetable oil sprayed skillet until first side is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn carefully with a spatula and cook second side until brown, about 3 minutes.

Nutrition Information:
Per slice:
Calories: 122
Fat: 1.9 g
Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
Calories from Fat: 14.2%
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Protein: 4.2 g
Carbohydrates: 22.6 g
Sugar: 7.7 g
Fiber: 2.3 g
Sodium: 125 mg
Calcium: 74 mg
Iron: 1.5 mg
Vitamin C: 0.2 mg
Beta-Carotene: 1 mcg
Vitamin E: 0.7 mg
Recipe from Healthy Eating For Life for Women by Kristine Kieswer; recipe by Jennifer Raymond, M.S., R.D.

Treat Two: Gooey Hot Fudge Brownies
Serves 1 to 8

Ingredients:
    1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
    3/4 cup sugar
    1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/2 cup nondairy milk
    1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    3/4 cup brown sugar
    1/4 cup cocoa powder
    3/4 cup hot water

Directions:1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 8x8" pan. Mix whole wheat pastry flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa, baking powder, and salt.

2. Add nondairy milk, applesauce, and vanilla.  Mix well. Spoon the batter into prepared pan.

3. Mix the remaining cocoa, brown sugar, and hot water in a bowl. Stir it around to mix it.

4. Pour that over the brownie batter.  Bake for 40 minutes.
Serve with nondairy ice cream (there are lots of choices out there -- the Coconut Bliss brand is my personal favorite).