What Can I Substitute for That? Part 1

In the current days, it's not uncommon to walk into a grocery store and find that shelves are bare of basic foodstuffs...BTW, not noticing a short supply of chips and candy (not including chocolate because that has increased) are you?   Me either.  I find that as interesting as I do the shortages of 'real' foods. But cream cheese, chicken, sausage (in my own area we've just gone through a two- or three-month spell with NO sausage available, not just turkey, but pork as well), aside there are things we can do at home for items we may have run out of or can't find at the grocery, or we simply don't typically keep on hand.

Someone before us has done the wonderful work of figuring out how to do without those things and manage well enough until they were available at some point in the future.  Some of these substitutes come from the depression and world war rationing days.  Other are modern inventions by those who prefer to remain egg and animal product free.  They all work to a degree.  I thought I'd share with you a few of the substitutions you might keep on hand to use in those instances.

Eggs

Eggs are necessary to create lift in many baked items, or to use as a binding for other ingredients.  These substitutes are not suitable for making scrambled eggs or omelets.

First, access whether you can make your item without eggs.  Did you want to make a cake.  Crazy Cake or Depression Cake is a good recipe to use if you have no eggs.  You will need oil, vinegar and soda.   Jess has a wonderful recipe that is adaptable to all sorts of flavorings. 

Remember that some substitutions are going to affect taste or color of baked products, so choose your substitute wisely.

For one egg:

1 tablespoon ground Flax seed and 3 tablespoons water: mix and set aside and allow to thicken.  

1 tablespoon ground Chia seed and 3 tablespoons water: mix and set aside and allow to thicken.

1/4cup pumpkin 

1/4 cup applesauce 

1/4 cup banana

1/4 cup avocado

1/4 pureed squash or fruit (think baby food consistency)

1/4 cup pureed silken tofu

1 teaspoon baking soda with 1 tablespoon vinegar

1/4 cup yogurt or buttermilk

2 tablespoons arrowroot powder and 3 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons aquafaba.   Aquafaba is the thick liquid found in canned beans such as chickpeas.

1/4 cup nut butter

1/4 cup carbonated water

1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water, then with 2 tablespoons of water and beaten until frothy.

1 tablespoon Agar Agar mixed with 1 tablespoon water

Oil/Butter

All recommendations are for baked goods, not for frying or sauteeing.  Remember that some substitutions are going to affect flavor or color, so choose wisely if this is important to the end product.  

 Pumpkin for --butter  use same amount of pumpkin as butter required

pumpkin for -- oil use equal amount of pumpkin as oil required

Use equal amounts of applesauce.  Although Taste of Home recommends subbing in only 1/2 the applesauce and using half the oil required, a second site recommended using equal amounts, measure for measure.

You may also use bananas.  

Heavy Cream

I often come across recipes that sound absolutely wonderful but I cannot make them because they call for heavy cream.  Heavy cream often has carrageenan added in and I am allergic to that ingredient.  So you see it's not always due to a food shortage that you might want a substitute.  I often use whole milk and butter as a substitute when I do want to make a special dish.

These substitutions are best for baking purposes that call for 1 cup heavy cream:

1/4 cup butter plus 3/4 cup milk 

an equal portion of Greek yogurt

7/8 cup half & half with 1/8 cup melted butter

For dishes that have a cheese flavor, substitute equal portions of the following for the measure of heavy cream required:

Blended cottage cheese thinned to cream consistency with milk 

Cream Cheese (the list I got this from did not say thinned with milk, but I should think you would unless perhaps you are using whipped cream cheese).

For a dish where a coconut flavor will be fine:

An equal portion of chilled coconut cream or coconut milk, drained and use only the thicker heavier portion of the cream.

Whipped cream substitutes:

Whatever substitute you choose to use, it is best to make sure that the product is well chilled.  It is best to also make sure the bowl and the beaters are well chilled, too.  Whip until light and fluffy.

An equal amount of well chilled evaporated milk.  My recipe for this suggests pouring the evaporated milk into a chilled bowl, then placing in the freezer until you just begin to see ice crystals forming about the edges.   

7/8 cup half & half, 1/8 cup softened butter

To use powdered milk:  Mix 1 cup milk powder with 1 cup ice water. Use as is or add 4 tsps. of powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract.

1 1/4 cups milk (whole), 2 teaspoons plain gelatin, 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar: take 1/4 cup of the milk and the gelatin and combine in a microwave safe bowl.  After 5 minutes, heat gently in the microwave 15-30 seconds.  Remove.  Stir.  Set aside and let cool.

In a mixing bowl mix 1 cup milk, sugar and cooled gelatin mixture. Combine well, then place in fridge for 20 minutes.  Remove bowl from fridge and whip until mixture is double in volume and forms soft peaks.   Will keep in fridge for up to two days but may need to be whisked to add volume once more.

1 cup milk, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar.  Combine in blender.  Emulsify for 30 seconds.  Use immediately.

Coconut Milk: Chill one 14 ounce can coconut milk overnight.  The next day, open can and remove the hardened coconut cream. Place in a well-chilled bowl.  Beat with a mixer until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes.  Add: 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract and beat for 1 minute more.  Will keep in fridge for up to two weeks.  You may need to whisk to add back lost volume.

1/4 cup aquafaba (be sure to use no salt added beans), 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 tsp. vanilla extract.  Beat on high until stiff peaks form.

Buttermilk

You can buy a cultured buttermilk powder to keep on your pantry shelf if you like and mix according to directions.  However buttermilk is easy to make.

For each cup of milk, half & half, evaporated milk, reconstituted dry powder milk, soy or nut milks add  1 tablespoon of white or apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.  Allow to sit for a few minutes and the milk should clabber slightly.   You may also use lime juice if you've no other acid on hand.

You can also combine 1/2 cup sour cream with 1/2 cup milk.

Thin yogurt with milk to consistency of buttermilk.

Substitute kefir.

1 cup milk and 2 teaspoons cream of tartar mixed well.

You can make your own buttermilk at home to have on hand at all times.  Start with a 6 cup container with a lid.  Mix 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1 quart milk.  Mix well. Cover.  Leave on counter at room temperature for 12-24 hours.  In some homes it may require more time on the counter.  Mixture should be slightly thickened and tangy.  Will keep in fridge for up to 1 month.  You may start a new batch from 1/2 cup of homemade buttermilk.