It's all about the substitutions! Substituting ingredients in recipes can be an intimidating task at first. Once you get the hang of it, you'll be creating new recipes in no time. Focus on what you can have instead of what you can't. Here are my favorite substitutions for some of the top food allergens.
Instead of cow's milk try ~
Coconut Milk
So Delicous Coconut Milk is my favorite. Silk also makes a coconut milk now that's good.
This is my top milk pick for creating thick and creamy results. If you whip it up in a super duper blender, it gets even thicker. I get the vanilla for baked goods and the unsweetened for savory recipes. Use this as a replacement for cow's milk in the same amount that is called for in a recipe.
Almond Milk
Almond Breeze
Silk PureAlmond
Almond milk is great, if you can tolerate nuts. It's also pretty creamy and holds up well in baking. Use this as a replacement for cow's milk in the same amount that is called for in a recipe.
Rice Milk
Rice Dream is my favorite brand of rice milk. While rice milk isn't my #1 pick, it does have it's time and place. I actually have a box or two in my pantry at the moment. When I go to Tully's for a cafe latte I get it with rice milk and my kids get steamed vanilla rice milks. I also have baked with it or put it in soups in a pinch.
Soy Milk (Non GMO)
Soy is on the Mayo Clinics list of top 8 food allergens so proceed with caution. I list it here because I still use it as asubstitute for cow's milk when I go to Starbucks or other coffee shope for a cafe latte because it's usually the only alternative to cow's milk. Places like Tully's and Whole Foods have other milk options at their coffee shops. Soy milk was my very first substitution for cow's milk. My favorite tasting soy milk is Silk and they are Non GMO.
Soy was one ingredient that showed up on my son's test, so we decided to get rid of it for a while. If you have to avoid soy, you'll find soy, specifically soy lecithin, is in lots of things. My friend's daughter is allergic to soy and her allergist told her not to worry about soy lecithin. I recommend asking your doctor what they think if you find yourself in this category. One thing I've learned through my personal experience is that sometimes it's best to avoid or limit the 8 top food allergens for a while, when trying to get to the bottom of a health issue.
Instead of butter milk ~
1 cup of dairy free milk (see above) plus 1tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar
Instead of butter try ~
Earth Balance comes in sticks and spreadable tubs. They have soy free varieties as well.
Smart Balance is what my husband and daughter love. I'm super cautious with it and don't eat it myself or give it to my son since it contains less than 2% whey (a milk derivative). You use the same amount of these as you would butter in a recipe.
Oils such as olive, coconut, canola. Spectrum offers a variety of healthy oils.
Instead of Chicken Eggs try ~
Flax meal
Bob's Redmill makes a great flax meal. Use 1 tbsp Flax meal + 3 tbsp hot water to replace 1 chicken egg in a recipe. Mix it up and let it sit for a few minutes, to let it thicken, before adding it to a recipe. You can double it to replace two chicken eggs. I often start with this in a mixer when baking.
Fruit or vegetable puree
3 tbsp puree + 1tsp baking powder to replace 1 chicken egg in a recipe. Mix it up and let it sit, just as I mention for the flax meal.
Many times I find that I don't need to add the extra baking powder, if a recipe already calls for it. I most commonly use applesauce, banana, pumpkin, sweet potatoe, or any squash since their thicker qualities help hold a recipe together. Get creative, just about any fruit or veggie will work.
Duck Eggs are something to try baking or cooking with. They are available mostly in warmer months. You can find them at some farmer's markets.
Egg Replacer
Ener-G Foods makes one and so does Bob's Redmill. I find that I like using flax or purees most of the time.
Instead of nuts or peanut butter ~
Sunflower "Sunbutter" Butter it's completely nut free!
Pumpkin seeds
coconut
sesame seeds
Instead of flour with gluten ~
Check out this post from Bob's Redmill on substituting wheat flour with other flours:
