Egg Substitutes

Following are some egg substitutes that are useful for cooking and baking:

Store Bought Egg Replacer
relatively flavorless and work best in baked goods, such as cookies, muffins and cakes, and can also be used to bind ingredients together in a vegan casserole or loaf. Ener-G is vegan and certified kosher, but be sure to read the labels carefully on other brands, as some may contain egg whites.
• Ener-G - available in most health food stores and larger well stocked grocery stores.
• Bob's Red Mill - available in most health food stores and larger well stocked grocery stores.

Fruit Options* (Eggs being used for moister)**
Fruit can add the perfect amount of thick moisture, like eggs, but they won't help your dishes rise or turn out light and fluffy, so be sure the recipe you are using includes a bit of baking powder or baking soda to help it rise if needed.
• 1/4 cup banana mashed
• 1/4 cup apple sauce
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup sweet potato puree
• 1/4 cup pear sauce
• 1/4 cup apple butter
*Due to their flavor, may alter the taste or texture of your recipe, so use an egg replacer that will compliment the other ingredients.
**If you are using it in a cookie, cake or quick bread recipe also add 1/4 teaspoon extra baking powder to provide the leavening needed.


Tofu
Best for substituting in dishes like quiche and egg salad.
• Regular tofu - crumbled is very similar to boiled or cooked egg.
• Silken tofu - appropriate egg substitute in baked goods. To use, blend 1/4 cup silken tofu with liquid ingredients until tofu is smooth and creamy. While it won't alter the flavor of a recipe, using tofu as an egg substitute will make baked goods a bit on the heavy and thick side, so it works well in brownies and pancakes, but wouldn't work well in something like an angel food cake that needs to be light and fluffy.

Flax Seed** (Eggs being used for binder)
• 1 Tablespoon ground flax seed mixed with 3 Tablespoons hot water* = 1 egg
Set aside until the flax seed mixture thickens. (about 3 - 5 minutes) This mixture should be as thick and sticky as an egg white.  If it isn’t, heat the mixture until it thickens.  Allow to cool slightly before adding to your recipe.
*Only replaces the binding property of an egg.  If you are using it in a cookie, cake or quick bread recipe also add 1/4 teaspoon extra baking powder to provide the leavening needed.
**Chia seed can also be used.

Other Mixtures (Eggs being used for binder)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons water, and 1 teaspoon baking powder = 1 egg
or
• Gelatin* -  Sprinkle the contents of a packet of unflavored gelatin over 1 cup of cold water.  When the gelatin absorbs water, heat over medium heat until the gelatin completely dissolves.  Allow mixture to cool.  Use 3 tablespoons to replace one egg.= 1 egg
*Gelatin is NOT a vegetarian product. 



Other Mixtures (Eggs being used for leavening)
• 2 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons canned coconut milk and 1 teaspoon baking powder to your recipe
• Replace part or all of the liquid with carbonated water.  Do not over mix after adding in order to retain the carbonation’s effect.
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon baking soda for eggs in cakes, cupcakes and quick breads.

FOOD NEWS: Arsenic Rice!

Consumer Reports magazine has announced disturbing news about arsenic levels in rice. Eating rice once a day is enough to increase arsenic levels in the body by 44%. Rice eaten twice a day will raise arsenic levels in the body by a staggering 70%.

The FDA is doing their own research into this accusation and "So far our results…we actually have about the same number of samples in (and) these two data sets are fairly similar," FDA commissioner Margaret Hamburg stated.

The FDA has gone on to say, "We are not recommending that consumers need to change their consumption of rice products in dramatic ways," Hamburg said. "We think the best advice is a balanced diet (and) it's good nutrition. There are lots of varieties of grains and other products that should be part of a balanced diet."

Consumer Reports tested many forms of rice for arsenic, from cereal for babies and adults, to brown and white whole grain, pasta and drinks. More than 60 rice and rice products were tested overall, including name brands.

No brands have been named yet but Nestle, the parent company of Gerber, has release the following statement to ABC News,  "all Gerber products are safe to consume, including Gerber rice cereal and Gerber SmartNourish organic brown rice cereal." They added that although they monitor arsenic levels, consumer concern led them to "exclusively use California rice in the production of our rice-containing infant nutrition products… because California rice has the lowest naturally occurring arsenic levels for rice grown in the United States." 

There seems to be a geographical distinction with certain areas producing rice with high arsenic levels.

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