The incredible, inedible egg (substitute for baking)

[Guest guest]

I have been looking for an egg replacement product for baking that

doesn't just give you leavening properties, but also nutritional

properties equal to or better than what you find in an egg, without

the cholesterol, fat, and of course, animal cruelty. Unfortunately,

I have not found such a product on the market. If anybody knows of

such a product, I'd like to hear about it.

 

In the meantime, I'd like to share the solution I use, which

provides the leavening properties of eggs for baking, and superior

nutritional benefits, without the bad stuff found in egg yolks, all

in about the same time it would take to crack an egg and wash the

goo off your fingers and the counter before you and the kids get

salmonella.

 

For leavening: Ener-G Egg Replacer (Ingredients: Potato Starch,

Tapioca Flour, Calcium Lactate, Calcium Carbonate, Citric Acid,

Cellulose Gum, Carbohydrate Gum).

- It costs about $5.00 for the equivalent of 9 or 10 dozen eggs, or

50 cents to replace a dozen eggs

- Just mix 2 tablespoons of warm water with 1.5 teaspoons of the Egg

Replacer powder

 

15 Calories

5 mg sodium

Calcium 10%

Zero for everything else

 

For nutrition: Red Start Nutritional Yeast

- It costs about $5.00 for 9 servings (and we're assuming that a

serving is replacing an egg ... so that's about $6.50 to replace a

dozen eggs)

- Just mix 1.5 tablespoons into the batter

 

60 Calories

8g Protein

4g Fiber

1g Total Fat, with 0g of Saturated Fat

0mg Cholesterol

5mg Sodium

 

Plus the following % of your daily requirements of:

Thiamin (B1): 640%

Riboflavin (B2): 565%

Vitamin B6: 480%

Niacin: 280%

Vitamin B12: 133%

Folic Acid: 60%

Zinc: 21%

Iron: 4%

Calcium: 1%

Vitamin A: 0%

Iodine: 0%

 

The only downside I see to this substitute is the cost, which is

about $7.00 to replace a $1.50 worth of chicken eggs. That's an

extra $5.50 per dozen, or 45 cents per egg. So, if you are making

pancakes or brownies and the recipe calls for 2 eggs, this

substitute will add 90 cents to the cost of your meal or dessert.

Given the baking habits in my house, we used to use about 2 eggs a

week when baking, so we're spending less than a $1 extra cost per

week.

 

For reference, you can contrast the contents of this substitute with

a single " large " chicken egg:

 

80 Calories

6.3g Protein

0g Fiber

5g Total Fat, with 1.5g of Saturated Fat

213mg Cholesterol

63mg Sodium

 

Plus the following % of your daily requirements of:

Thiamin (B1): 4%

Riboflavin (B2): 10%

Vitamin B6: 4%

Niacin: 0%

Vitamin B12: 8%

Folic Acid: 8%

Zinc: 4%

Iron: 4%

Calcium: 3%

Vitamin A: 6%

Iodine: 15%

 

Note: 213mg Cholesterol is 71% of the recommended daily limit for

healthy people, but zero is the optimal amount; and an " extra large "

egg contains 93% of the daily limit. As with all meat and dairy

products, eggs have no fiber.

 

Note: egg whites have no cholesterol or fat.

 

 

Regards,

Alan

[Guest guest]

Alan,

Here's something I keep on hand to help me decide which egg replacement I

will use for whatever I am cooking/baking at the time. Hope it helps.

 

God's Peace,

Gayle

 

 

The next time you feel the need to run to your neighbor's house to borrow an

egg, think again. Chances are you have a number of ingredients in your

refrigerator or cupboard that would substitute nicely for the egg in that

recipe.

 

Eggs serve a variety of functions in recipes. They often work as binders,

holding the other ingredients together, as in a casserole or cake. Eggs also

can act as leavening agents, providing lift and affecting texture. The

purpose of the egg in a recipe determines what you can use as a substitute.

In some cases, you can omit the egg altogether, and the recipe isn't

noticeably affected.

 

Ousting eggs from baked goods

Eggs are used in baked goods for leavening, or lightness. They also may

serve as a binder. The purpose the egg serves in the original recipe - as

well as the amount of egg the recipe calls for - determines whether you need

a substitute and, if so, which alternate ingredient will best serve the

function of the egg in the recipe.

 

Flat foods such as pancakes and cookies don't rely on eggs for lift. In

fact, in many cases, you can eliminate the egg without noticeably affecting

the final product. That's especially true if the recipe calls for only one

egg. If you do omit the egg, however, it's a good idea to add a tablespoon

or two of additional liquid - soymilk, fruit juice, or water, for example -

for each egg omitted to restore the recipe to its original moisture content.

 

When a recipe calls for three or more eggs - as many cakes do - the

eggs perform a vital function and need to be replaced with an ingredient

that can deliver a similar effect.

 

 

In recipes for baked goods that have a light, airy texture, replace eggs

with an ingredient that provides lift. Any of the following ingredients can

replace one whole egg in a recipe:

 

a.. Half a small, ripe, mashed banana. This substitution gives the food a

mild banana flavor, which can be nice in recipes for muffins, cookies,

pancakes, and quick breads.

a.. 1/4 cup of any kind of tofu blended with the liquid ingredients in the

recipe. Light or reduced-fat tofu cuts down on the fat and calories in the

finished product.

a.. 1-1/2 teaspoons of a commercial vegetarian egg substitute, such as

Ener-G Egg Replacer, mixed with 2 tablespoons of water. This product is a

combination of vegetable starches and works wonderfully in virtually any

recipe that calls for eggs. Natural foods stores sell it in 1-pound boxes.

a.. 1/4 cup of applesauce, canned pumpkin or squash, or pureed prunes. If

you use these foods, know that, depending on the recipe, they may add a hint

of flavor. If you want to give the food a lighter texture, add an extra 1/2

teaspoon of baking powder, because using fruit purees to replace eggs can

make the finished product somewhat denser than the original recipe.

a.. A heaping tablespoon of soy flour or bean flour mixed with a

tablespoon of water. This mixture works similarly to vegetarian egg

replacer.

a.. 2 tablespoons of cornstarch beaten with 2 tablespoons of water. This,

too, works much like vegetarian egg replacer.

a.. 1 tablespoon of finely ground flaxseeds whipped with 1/4 cup of water.

The flaxseeds gel and bind with the other ingredients.

Replacing eggs in casseroles, loaves, burger patties, and main dishes

Some recipes need an ingredient that binds all the other ingredients

together. Eggs are famous for acting as the glue that holds meatballs,

meatloaf, and casseroles together. Lacto vegetarian and vegan versions of

these traditional foods need something to serve the same purpose.

Fortunately, you have many options.

 

As you might suspect, your choice of ingredients to replace eggs in these

types of foods depends on the degree of " stick " you need, as well as how the

ingredient will blend with the other flavors in the recipe. Cooked oatmeal

may work fine as a binder in a veggie burger patty, for example, but may not

be a welcome addition to a vegetable casserole if you don't care for the

flavor or texture that it brings to the dish.

 

If you're altering a traditional recipe, you have to experiment a bit

to determine just the right amount of an ingredient to serve the purpose. A

good starting point with most recipes in which egg acts as a binder is to

use 2 to 3 tablespoons of any of the following ingredients (or a combination

of them) to replace one whole egg. If the original recipe calls for two

eggs, start with 4 to 6 tablespoons of egg substitute.

 

 

a.. Tomato paste

a.. Arrowroot starch

a.. Potato starch

a.. Cornstarch

a.. Whole-wheat, unbleached, oat, or bean flour

a.. Finely crushed breadcrumbs, cracker meal, or matzo meal

a.. Quick-cooking rolled oats or cooked oatmeal

a.. Mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, or instant potato flakes

You can also try 1/4 cup of any kind of tofu blended with 1 tablespoon of

flour or 1-1/2 teaspoons vegetarian egg replacer mixed with 2 tablespoons of

water.

 

Replacing eggs in sandwich fillings, salads, and scrambled eggs

Finding substitutes for eggs that are hidden in recipes is one thing;

finding suitable substitutes for eggs that are more visible in foods is

quite another. Fortunately, tofu looks remarkably like cooked egg whites and

functions in much the same way in several popular recipes.

 

a.. You can use chopped firm or extra-firm tofu in place of egg whites in

egg salad. Use your favorite egg salad recipe, but substitute tofu for the

hard-boiled eggs. You can even replace regular mayonnaise with soy

mayonnaise for a vegan version.

a.. Cubes of chopped firm tofu are a nice addition to a mixed green salad

or spinach salad, standing in for the customary chopped hard-boiled eggs.

You can also add chopped or minced tofu to a bowl of Chinese hot and sour

soup.

a.. Try scrambled tofu instead of scrambled eggs at breakfast. Natural

foods stores stock " tofu scrambler " seasoning packets, which you may also

find in the produce section of your regular supermarket, near the tofu. Many

vegetarian cookbooks give recipes for scrambled tofu. The recipes usually

include turmeric to give the tofu a yellow color similar to that of

scrambled eggs. You can also use scrambled tofu to fill pita pockets or as a

sandwich filling on hoagie rolls.

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi Alan,

Thanks for all of your research. Do you notice any strong flavor from

using the nutritonal yeast in baked goods? I use it all the time to

make sauces and season tofu, etc., but I have never used it in sweet

products.

Thanks,

Amy

 

On Saturday, September 10, 2005, at 03:07 AM,

wrote:

 

> Thu, 08 Sep 2005 23:55:58 -0000

> " Alan " <soy_decaf_latte

> The incredible, inedible egg (substitute for baking)

[Guest guest]

Gayle,

This is such useful info--thanks!!

Amy

 

On Sunday, September 11, 2005, at 03:04 AM,

wrote:

 

> Re: The incredible, inedible egg (substitute for baking)

>

> Alan,

> Here's something I keep on hand to help me decide which egg

> replacement I

> will use for whatever I am cooking/baking at the time. Hope it helps.

>

> God's Peace,

> Gayle

[Guest guest]

Amy,

 

Putting in 1 or 2 tablespoons I did not notice any flavor, at least not

with maple syrup on top of pancakes. More importantly, I asked my non--

veg*n spouse if she noticed any flavor the first time I made pancakes

this way and she said " no " . And still more importantly, my kids ate

them without making any " yuck " faces. I received similar feedback on

Brownies. So, my laboratory gives a thumbs up on the taste test.

 

That was a great list of egg alternatives Gayle put out there, covering

just about every conceiveable situation.

 

Just be aware that in some cases the egg replacements have little

nutritional value (e.g, Ener-G), so if you want to replace the protein

that was in the egg, you either need to throw something else into the

batter (like nutritional yeast), or just make sure you have the

nutrition covered elsewhere in the meal.

 

(BTW: I first tried ground flaxseed .. and that was noticeable in the

taste, look, and texture. It was fine for me, but not the decision

makers in the family.)

 

My thinking is that every little bit helps, so if I know the kids are

going to eat their pancakes, I'm going to load as much nutrition in to

them as I can.

 

- Alan

 

 

, austinvegan <austinvegan> wrote:

> Hi Alan,

> Thanks for all of your research. Do you notice any strong flavor from

> using the nutritonal yeast in baked goods? I use it all the time to

> make sauces and season tofu, etc., but I have never used it in sweet

> products.

> Thanks,

> Amy

>

> On Saturday, September 10, 2005, at 03:07 AM,

> wrote:

>

> > Thu, 08 Sep 2005 23:55:58 -0000

> > " Alan " <soy_decaf_latte>

> > The incredible, inedible egg (substitute for baking)

[Guest guest]

I also use ener-G as an egg replacer - haven't thought of nutritional yeast - I

use that for making gravies and " cheeze " - thanks for the tip - yes, it is a bit

expensive. I have also found using flaxseed powder ( I grind up the seed ) mixed

with a tablespoon of water - gives great protein and the full mouth texture that

whole eggs gives in baking that ener -G does not - It is also very cheap. But I

cannot give the full stats on it. I got the idea from a vegan baking book. hope

that helps

 

Alan <soy_decaf_latte wrote:

I have been looking for an egg replacement product for baking that

doesn't just give you leavening properties, but also nutritional

properties equal to or better than what you find in an egg, without

the cholesterol, fat, and of course, animal cruelty. Unfortunately,

I have not found such a product on the market. If anybody knows of

such a product, I'd like to hear about it.

 

In the meantime, I'd like to share the solution I use, which

provides the leavening properties of eggs for baking, and superior

nutritional benefits, without the bad stuff found in egg yolks, all

in about the same time it would take to crack an egg and wash the

goo off your fingers and the counter before you and the kids get

salmonella.

 

For leavening: Ener-G Egg Replacer (Ingredients: Potato Starch,

Tapioca Flour, Calcium Lactate, Calcium Carbonate, Citric Acid,

Cellulose Gum, Carbohydrate Gum).

- It costs about $5.00 for the equivalent of 9 or 10 dozen eggs, or

50 cents to replace a dozen eggs

- Just mix 2 tablespoons of warm water with 1.5 teaspoons of the Egg

Replacer powder

 

15 Calories

5 mg sodium

Calcium 10%

Zero for everything else

 

For nutrition: Red Start Nutritional Yeast

- It costs about $5.00 for 9 servings (and we're assuming that a

serving is replacing an egg ... so that's about $6.50 to replace a

dozen eggs)

- Just mix 1.5 tablespoons into the batter

 

60 Calories

8g Protein

4g Fiber

1g Total Fat, with 0g of Saturated Fat

0mg Cholesterol

5mg Sodium

 

Plus the following % of your daily requirements of:

Thiamin (B1): 640%

Riboflavin (B2): 565%

Vitamin B6: 480%

Niacin: 280%

Vitamin B12: 133%

Folic Acid: 60%

Zinc: 21%

Iron: 4%

Calcium: 1%

Vitamin A: 0%

Iodine: 0%

 

The only downside I see to this substitute is the cost, which is

about $7.00 to replace a $1.50 worth of chicken eggs. That's an

extra $5.50 per dozen, or 45 cents per egg. So, if you are making

pancakes or brownies and the recipe calls for 2 eggs, this

substitute will add 90 cents to the cost of your meal or dessert.

Given the baking habits in my house, we used to use about 2 eggs a

week when baking, so we're spending less than a $1 extra cost per

week.

 

For reference, you can contrast the contents of this substitute with

a single " large " chicken egg:

 

80 Calories

6.3g Protein

0g Fiber

5g Total Fat, with 1.5g of Saturated Fat

213mg Cholesterol

63mg Sodium

 

Plus the following % of your daily requirements of:

Thiamin (B1): 4%

Riboflavin (B2): 10%

Vitamin B6: 4%

Niacin: 0%

Vitamin B12: 8%

Folic Acid: 8%

Zinc: 4%

Iron: 4%

Calcium: 3%

Vitamin A: 6%

Iodine: 15%

 

Note: 213mg Cholesterol is 71% of the recommended daily limit for

healthy people, but zero is the optimal amount; and an " extra large "

egg contains 93% of the daily limit. As with all meat and dairy

products, eggs have no fiber.

 

Note: egg whites have no cholesterol or fat.

 

 

Regards,

Alan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website at

http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to

http://www.vrg.org/family.This is a discussion list and is not intended to

provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a

qualified health professional.

 

edical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health

professional.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Thank you you for that great article, i really enjoyed it. I tried the

mashed banana idea in our muffins for dessert tonight, and even my toughest

critic (my 4 year old Jenna) decided that they were great. I never would

have thought to do that.

 

Jodi