Maintaining a healthy, plant-based diet can become difficult during the fall and winter months. Cookies, cakes, pies, and other baked goods can become a dangerous temptation. But before you get discouraged and think you have to write off baking al- together, take a look at these simple baking substitutes!
Substitutes:
Flour Substitutes
- Almond flour: is probably the most similar to regular flour and can be used as a substitute for any baking recipe. Almond flour is gluten-free and high in protein. It can be bought in stores or even made at home by finely grinding almonds into powder.
- Coconut flour: is dried, powdered coconut and gives whatever you bake it with a slight coconut flavor. It is high in fiber and low in carbs and gluten-free. I suggest combining this substitute with another if you do not like the coconut taste it can create and also for texture purposes.
- Black beans: is strictly for brownie recipes. Precooking and draining the beans is a must and gives whatever it is baked into the perfect amount of moistness.
Sugar substitutes
- Applesauce: is a great way to substitute sugar without sacrificing sweetness. it also adds moisture to your baking mixture.
- Bananas: has the same effects as applesauce just with an added sweetness and can give a hint of banana flavor. It is also rich in potassium.
- Agave: is a liquid sweetener made from the agave plant and is sweeter than sugar.
- Honey: has more calories than sugar, but is equal in sweetness. It is also not as processed as most sugar and healthier.
Butter
- Coconut oil: although coconut oil is one of my favorite butter substitutes, be careful substituting more than one coconut-based product.
- Olive oil: is one of the most widely accepted butter substitutes.
- Avocado: although it might sound unconventional, avocado is one of the best baking substitutes. The avocado flavor cannot be detected and it adds extra nutrients to the finished product.
Milk
- Soy milk: comes from soy beans and is one of the most popular milk substitutes in the plant-based world. It’s creamy texture is perfect for baking.
- Rice milk: is similar to 1% milk in texture but has more of a milk flavor than soy.
- Hemp milk: is made from soaking hemp seeds
- Almond milk: is much like soy milk and possesses a great flavor that translates well in baking
Eggs
- Water with 1 teaspoon baking soda: this is a simple substitute that functions exactly like eggs in baking
