Basic Vegan Substitutes

Being vegan, we do not eat anything that comes from animals (more information about the basics of veganism here) and as such, we will often be required to substitute a number of items when we are working from a meat based or vegetarian based recipe. Here are some of the more common substitutes that vegans will often work with in their cooking.

Tofu
(A good meat substitute)
Tofu is one of those foods that many people will tell you they don't like. And in the majority of cases, this is because they have tasted it when it has either not been cooked enough (therefore slimy), cooked well but without any sauce (therefore very bland) or steamed (i.e. all gooey and slimy in texture). 

We have also tasted tofu when done in this way and we would agree - we sometimes don't like tofu either. But that doesn't mean that tofu can't also be absolutely delicious! 

Tofu is also a great way for us to get some protein into our system and will help to complement almost any meal whether done as a side (i.e. marinated in a delicious sauce) or incorporated into your main meal. Whether you wish to buy tofu from the supermarket or make your own tofu - tofu can be a wonderful alternative to meat as it helps to add that extra something to your otherwise vegetarian meal. 

Milk Substitutes
Milk can play such an important part of our life whether it be with cereal in the morning, a smoothie in the afternoon, a white sauce for the veggies or to be used in desserts or baking. Luckily, there are lots of healthy & delicious options for us vegans! 

Firstly, you can buy non-dairy milk from most supermarkets and whilst this is not really our preference, this helps to keep things nice and easy to start off with. You can choose to buy soy milk, almond milk, rice milk, cashew milk and a few other blends.

And if you didn't want to buy these kinds of milks (or you want to save some money), a better option is to make your own non-dairy milk. It is super simple, cost effective and you know exactly what you are putting into your body which is also very important.

Egg Substitutes

Although we may not fully realise it, eggs are used in lots of different products due to their wonderful binding properties. In simple terms, eggs hold everything together. They are used in baking cakes, cooking quiches, making pasta, bread, biscuits and of course a delicious fry up for breakfast. For vegans, we can replace eggs in a number of ways. 

Firstly, perhaps for those starting out on their vegan journey, you are able to buy a product called 'egg replacer'. This can be used in your baking and other cooking just as you would use eggs. You can find this online and simply use this when your recipe calls for eggs.

Alternatively, you can also use flax eggs (= 1 tbsp flax seeds to 3 tbsp water) or 
chia eggs (= 1 tbsp chia seeds to 3 tbsp water). And these can be used in all recipes in exchange for eggs e.g. in all baking, pasta making, bread making, biscuits etc. 

Lastly, if you really want that eggy taste, you can always take a few minute to whip up a nice tofu spinach & onion omelette  or an easy scrambled tofu with tomato & basil. We should point out here that these dishes have some added spices and flavours which help to mimic the tastes and textures of eating eggs.     

Cheese Substitutes
For some people, giving up cheese is almost un-noticeable whilst for others, the idea of giving up cheese is almost unbearable. The good news is that there are some substitutes that are available to you either way.

Firstly, we are starting to see a number of non-dairy cheeses starting to pop up in a variety of food co-ops and even in the odd local supermarket here and there. So this is the first very simple and easy option - buy non-dairy cheese from a supermarket or online.

Secondly, you also have the option to make your own non-dairy cheese and this can be done in a number of ways, depending on your taste preferences. For example, you can make your own cream cheese from cashews or you can also make your own ricotta cheese with tofu (along with some other added ingredients).

Honey Substitutes
Some people following a vegan lifestyle will still choose to eat honey - and of course this is a very personal choice to make. We loved the taste of honey and because honey is quite good for us, this was a difficult food for us to let go of initially.

Having said this, we have now discovered so many other delicious sweeteners that come from this most abundant earth that we are now very happy with our choice to become vegan in its purest sense.

Alternative sweeteners are often bought and can include coconut sugar, agave syrup, date sugar, molasses, maple syrup, turbinado sugar, golden syrup, brown rice syrup and many more. 

Ice Cream Substitutes

For us, giving up ice cream was just not possible so thankfully, we have been able to find a whole plethora of non-dairy ice cream options.

Firstly, you will likely to be now able to buy non-dairy ice cream in your local supermarket or local co-op. And we are now seeing a wider variety with different flavours to be explored so there are really no major sacrifices to be made when going vegan in terms of eating ice cream.

Also, you may wish to start making your own ice cream and why not! There are so many wonderful ways of making frozen fruit soft serve and other delicious nut based ice creams and coconut cream based ice creams for yourself.
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