Alex Carson
Vegan
Veganism and being a vegetarian are entirely different. Vegetarians don’t eat meat. This means that they avoid beef, pork, and chicken. They can; however, eat eggs, cheese, and other dairy products. Vegans are different. They won’t eat any animal or any food that came from an animal. This means no dairy products. The only foods that a vegan can eat are plant-based foods. Here are 31 delicious vegan substitutions to make any recipe more compassionate.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil has no animal fat, and at room temperature, it has the same texture as butter. You can even use coconut oil as shortening. If you want to make baked goods, coconut oil will make it possible.
Avocado
Mayo is a no-no if you are vegan. This is unfortunate because mayo makes sandwiches taste great. A great alternative to mayo is avocado. You can remove avocado from the shell and whip it up; it will make your sandwiches taste fantastic.
Flax Seed
If you are going to bake cookies or a cake, you need eggs. Since eggs aren’t vegan-friendly, you will need a substitution. Ground flaxseed will have the same effect on your baked goods as eggs, and they are vegan-friendly. You would simply let the seeds soak in warm water until they have.
Tofu Scramble
If you love scrambled eggs for breakfast, you can have a similar version if you go vegan. You can scramble the tofu the same way that you do eggs, and add your favorite veggies to create a fantastic breakfast.
Tahini
Creamy salad dressings get their creaminess from cream. Since the cream is made from animal-based products, these dressings are not vegan-friendly. Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds and is an excellent alternative to creamy salad dressing.
Applesauce
If you are making a cake, you can’t use butter. Applesauce works great, and it adds to the flavor of your desert. It works best with spice cake. Best of all, it is vegan-friendly.
Bananas
If you are making a loaf of banana bread, you cannot use eggs. Instead, use a mashed banana. It makes perfect sense. You will get the banana flavor, and it will help hold your cake together.
Almond Milk
Cow’s milk is a no-no for vegan; however, almond milk is plant-based, so it is vegan-friendly. You can use it as a substitute in recipes, in cereal, or you can pour yourself a tall glass.
Silken Tofu
Cheesecake is delicious, but if you are vegan, you can’t have it. Some of the ingredients are not vegan-friendly. Rather than using cream cheese, you can use silken tofu, which is the smoothest, creamiest kind of tofu on the market.
Maple Syrup
Honey is not vegan-friendly, but maple syrup is. Since the two have the same consistency, and they taste sweet, it is a great substitution.
Kidney Beans
If you are a chili lover, you can’t have it if you are vegan due to the meat. If you really want chili, take out the meat and replace it with more beans. You can use black beans, red beans, and pinto beans, and with the right seasonings, you can make it taste just like chili.
Coconut Cream
You can’t have whipped cream if you are vegan, but you can have coconut cream with tastes great and has the same consistency.
Cashews
This may be a bit of a reach, but you can make an alfredo sauce with cashews.
Lemon Juice and Soy Milk
Vegans can’t have buttermilk, but if you combine lemon juice and soy milk, you can have something that tastes just as great.
Cauliflower
Rather than chicken wings, you can serve cauliflower. With the right spices and some hot sauce, it can taste just like buffalo chicken.
Agar-Agar
Gelatin is a by-product of meat processing, so vegans cannot have it. Agar-agar is an excellent alternative so that you can serve gelatin with your next dessert.
Jackfruit
Jackfruit is native to Asia, but you can buy it in a can in the United States. It has a texture that is similar to meat, and with the right spices, you can use it to make a pulled pork sandwich.
Chickpeas
If you have are trouble giving up tuna sandwiches, you can use chickpeas. If you mash them up, they have the same texture as tuna. And if you are a bit of umeboshi vinegar, they will get a fishy smell. Combine that with avocado, and you can have a great tuna sandwich.
ThaVegan Cheese
You can make your own vegan cheese, and with the right recipe, you can make mozzarella that tastes just like the real thing.
Tempeh
If you don’t want to give up on meatballs after becoming vegan, you can try tempeh. It is made of beans that fall apart, which makes them great for squishing and molding.
Portobello Mushroom
Burgers are off-limits for vegans, but a giant portobello mushroom is a great substitution. If you add your favorite vegan-friendly toppings, you will have the closest thing to a burger that you can get.
