Vegan

These days more and more people are going vegan, some for ethical reasons, believing that all creatures have a right to life and freedom.  Some people go vegan for health reasons.

I have definitely enjoyed experimenting with vegan baking as I read somewhere we can break the rules of traditional baking in looking for alternative ingredients.  There is so much information out there that anyone can start vegan baking.  

For starters you can take your favourite recipes and replace non vegan ingredients with vegan ingredients.

Oil based cakes are really moist but we need to be careful what oils we use.  The oil we use should be high in monounsaturated fat and low in polyunsaturated fat and saturated fat (coconut oil is a possible exception) and of course if it has a good amount of omega 3 then even better.  Monounsaturated fats are found in plant foods, such as nuts, avocados, and vegetable oils. Eating moderate amounts of monounsaturated (and polyunsaturated) fats in place of saturated and trans fats can benefit your health.

Eggs are really important to traditional baking, they help combine ingredients and hold them together.
They help baked food rise, helping with volume and giving food a light and airy texture. 

They help to add moisture to your baked goods

Egg Replacements
Mashed banana is a popular replacement for eggs, however they can give your baked goods a slight banana flavour.  

You can use pumpkin or avocado which won’t affect the flavour too much.  As a guide you can replace one egg with around 65 grams of fruit or veg puree.

Chia seeds or flax seeds can be used, you can replace one egg with 1 tablespoon of flax or chia seeds and 45 grams of water.  

Silken tofu – 60 grams of blended silken tofu will replace 1 egg – this really makes a wonderful moist cake with great texture.

Milk replacement – almond milk, coconut milk

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