My two little sisters are both vegans and I guess I’d be considered more of a vegetarian than a vegan. I just can’t seem to give up cheese. I love the stuff. I buy a 3 pound bag of shredded cheese at the store and it ends up being the topping on just about everything I eat. Sure, it’s supposedly cheaper to buy a block of cheese and shred it myself, but I’ll pay a bit extra for someone else to do the shredding.

Even though I’m a huge lover of cheese, I still enjoy a great vegan meal. Vegan cuisine is an art. You have to know just the right combination of spices to create a flavorful dish. This is probably why I resort to adding a handful of cheese to most of my meals; I’m lacking on the creativity side of artful food!

If you aren’t a vegan, but are looking for a way to make ordinary recipes a bit healthier, try out the substitutes listed below. I’m sure you’ve heard of some of them already.

·         Butter

Many margarines are made from hydrogenated oils, which are considered bad for human consumption. There are also a few which contain milk products in them, such as casein, whey, sodium lactate, or lactose, just to name a few, so the ingredients need to be read very closely. When cooking, canola oil is a good substitute. One-third cup of canola oil equals 1 cup of butter when making this replacement. For a spreadable butter, some excellent vegan butters are made by Earth Balance.

·         Cow’s Milk

A variety of milk substitutes are available for vegans to use in place of cow’s milk; soy beans, almonds, coconuts, rice, and almonds are all excellent replacements. Some are a thicker consistency than others. Oat milk is better for making gravy since it is thicker than rice or almond milk. Be sure to take into consideration the flavor of the milk and the recipe being used. The flavor of the milk can easily offset the desired taste of the final food product.

·         Honey

My favorite honey substitutes are maple syrup or agave nectar. The maple flavor can be a bit overpowering for some recipes, while the agave nectar is very subtle.

·         Cheese

A few vegan cheese have the perfect texture for melting on top of casseroles and such. Daiya brands are perfect for when you need a cheese that shreds nicely. Nutritional yeast can be used for making a pourable cheese. This type of cheese consists mostly of the yeast, water, some dried mustard and other spices. It’s especially yummy in calzones! Tofu is excellent for a crumbly cheesy substance.

·         Eggs

I like using flax seed as an egg replacer. Use 1 tablespoon of flax with a quarter cup of water and bring to a boil. After it boils for a few minutes, turn off the heat source and let the mixture set until it is the consistency of snot. Sounds gross, but it works just like the egg whites do. I can’t remember the last time I used eggs for baking. Each tablespoon of flax is equal to one egg. Be sure to add a quarter cup of water for each tablespoon of flax seed as well.

These few substitutes should get you through most of your recipes this holiday season. I always enjoy making substitutions and then seeing the family’s reaction when they find out they are eating a vegan meal. Such fun! Most of them put a psychological block on the idea of eating vegan food. They often think meatless/dairy-less food is synonymous with bland. I love proving them wrong and seeing them enjoy every bite too.

Happy cooking!