Substitutions!

I often get asked about substitutions for eggs, butter, dairy, flour, sugar, etc… so I thought I would do a post all about substitutions! Here are a few quick guides. Keep in mind different substitutions can result in slightly different textures and consistencies, so play around and find out which one you like for certain recipes.

Milk:

Replace 1 cup of cow’s milk with one of the following:

{    1-cup soymilk

{    1-cup rice milk

{    1-cup fruit juice

{    1-cup water

{    1-cup coconut milk

{    1-cup goat’s milk (if tolerated)

{    1-cup hemp milk

{    1 cup almond milk

Buttermilk

Replace 1-cup buttermilk with one of the following:

{    1 cup soymilk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice or 1 tablespoon white vinegar. (Let stand until slightly thickened.)

{    1-cup coconut milk

{    7/8-cup rice milk

{    7/8-cup fruit juice

{    7/8-cup water

Yogurt

Replace 1-cup yogurt with one of the following:

{    1-cup soy yogurt or coconut yogurt

{    1-cup soy sour cream

{    1 cup unsweetened applesauce

{    1-cup fruit puree

Butter

Replace 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter with the following:

{    8 tablespoons (1 stick) Fleischmann’s unsalted margarine

{    8 tablespoons Earth Balance (non-dairy) Buttery Spread. (I use the soy-free, non-dairy kind in the red packaging.)

{    8 tablespoons Spectrum Organic Shortening

{    8 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil

{    6 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce + 2 tablespoons of any of the above

Eggs

Replace 1 large egg with one of the following:

{    3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce (or other fruit puree) + 1 teaspoon baking powder

{    1 tablespoon flax meal or salba seed + 3 tablespoons hot water. (Let stand, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes or until thick.)

{    Egg Replacer, such as Ener-G, according to the package directions. 

{    4 tablespoons pureed silken tofu + 1 teaspoon baking powder.

***Replacing more than two eggs will change the integrity of a recipe. For recipes that call for a lot of eggs, like a quiche, use pureed silken tofu. Because egg substitutions add moisture, you may have to increase baking times slightly.

***To replace one egg white, dissolve 1-tablespoon plain agar powder into 1-tablespoon water. Beat and chill for 15 minutes, then beat again.

Sugar Substitutes

{Honey or agave nectar} = {sugar}

{    3/4 cup = 1 cup

{    1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons = 1/2 cup

{    1/4 cup = 1/3 cup

{    3 tablespoons = 1/4 cup

Xanthan Gum and Guar Gum:

Here are some general guidelines for using xanthan or guar gum. Gum (Xanthan or guar) is the key to successful gluten-free baking. It provides the binding needed to give the baked product proper elasticity, keeping it from crumbling.

{    Add ½ teaspoon xanthan or guar gum per cup of flour blend to make cakes, cookies, bars, muffins, and other quick breads.

{    Add 1 teaspoon per cup of flour blend to make yeast bread, pizza dough or other baked items that call for yeast.

{    Some commercial flour blends contain xanthan or guar gum, so read the ingredient list carefully to see if there is any need to add more.

Some additional tips:

Wheat Free is NOT Gluten Free! Products labeled "wheat free" are not necessarily gluten free; they may contain spelt, rye or barley ingredients that are not gluten free.