SUBSTITUTES THAT WILL MAKE YOU (ALMOST) FORGET ABOUT NON-VEGAN FOOD

We know that many non-vegan food items are delicious. As a matter of fact, a great number of people don’t go vegan because they dislike the taste of chicken fingers, late-night kebabs, and grilled cheese, but for ethical reasons. This is why non-vegan cravings are a common and completely normal thing. But don’t worry, there are many foods that will help you fight the urge to order cheese pizza, buy a meatball sub, or get yourself a treat of buttered popcorn.

Meat: If you’re looking to substitute meat, there are many great choices, the obvious and most well-known option being tofu. However, you should give other meat substitutes, such as tempeh or seitan a try. For maximum protein, check out textured vegetable protein, which comes in different shapes and sizes and can be used to substitute (almost) every meat product.

Fish: This is a tricky one. Alternative products never seem to get fish right. But that’s okay. We recommend mixing tofu with nori (a seaweed) to fight sudden seafood cravings.

Eggs for baking: Many people think that eggs are indispensable for baking a cake. They’re not. Add more baking powder, mashed bananas, or apple purée. Chia eggs or flax eggs are a great way to substitute eggs in both sweet and savory baked goods. Mix one tablespoon of ground chia or ground flaxseeds with three tablespoons water and let it sit for about 5 minutes until goopy, then you can use it just like you would an egg.

Milk: Easy. Plant-based drinks made from hemp, almond, cashew, hazelnut, coconut, rice, oat, or even pistachios and macadamia nuts have been around for a while. Try to experiment what you like most; it’s a fun tasting experience!

Butter: There are many varieties of vegan butter available in stores. Beware of margarine, which can contain animal products such as whey or lactose. Coconut oil is also great.

Cream: For heavy cream, try unsweetened coconut milk. For whipped cream, definitely check out whipped coconut cream. If you’re not into coconut, many stores offer a good variety of alternative products based on oats and rice.

Gelatin: Use agar-agar flakes. It’s easy and not even half as tricky as gelatin can be.

Cheese: Boy, there’s a whole book to be written about vegan cheese, but we’ll keep it short. For Parmesan, try our Cashew Parmesan (see on pg. 17) or neat vegan cheese sauce (see on pg. 18). There are also many people who try to create vegan cheeses on the internet, so if you need inspiration for an advanced endeavor like this, make sure to check out vegan cheese makers online.