Ingredient Swaps in Plant-Based Cooking

The two questions I hear most since going plant-based, is where do I get my protein from, and how do you saute since you don’t cook with oil? So I thought I’d cover all of this in an article, on what the typical swaps are when eating a plant-based diet.

• Oil Swap when Sauteing, Roasting, or Braising

  Simply add 1-2 Tbsp. of water or vegetable broth to your pan as you’re sauteing vegetables. Stir frequently, and if the vegetables begin to stick, add a little more water or broth, 1-2 Tbsp. at a time…not too much or you will end up boiling them and they won’t brown. And since we’re on this oil topic, don’t be fooled into thinking olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, etc. is healthy just because the packaging tells you it is. Marketing is powerful, don’t fall for it! Trust me on this. Your endothelium functions by knowing that fat is fat, and it clings to the endothelial cells inside your blood vessels. And you don’t want any kind of fat clogging up your blood vessels, causing blockages. So skip those oils, even the ones marketed as “healthy”.

• Butter Swap when Baking

  Applesauce makes for a good butter or oil swap when making banana bread. My grandson in fact, prefers it over butter. Mashed bananas can also be substituted for butter in baking, as well as pureed pumpkin, sweet potatoes, or mashed avocado.

• Butter Swap when Cooking

  Other than adding fat and calories to your dish, the only other thing butter does is bring a sense of richness and savory flavor. You can accomplish this in plant-based cooking by playing around with herbs and spices, or miso, tamari or coconut aminos sauces (healthy alternative to soy sauce), to give you that rich, umami flavor you’re looking for when you want to amp up the depth of flavor in a dish. For toast, bread or baked goods consider nut or seed based butters, or just good old-fashioned freshly ground peanut butter free of added salt and sugar.

• Protein Swap

  Black beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, soybeans, pinto beans, beans, beans, beans! Quinoa, brown rice, wild rice, bulgar, lentils, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, almonds, peanut butter. Tofu, tempeh, soy curls. And let’s not forget broccoli, spinach, kale, and green peas. Protein swaps are easy-peasy!

• Milk Product Swap

  Had I known how much bloating and inflammation it caused me, I would have stopped consuming dairy long before I gave up meat and fish. Great substitutes include nut milks, nut creams and tofu or nut-based sour cream. My favorite, and have found to be the most versatile nut milk, is cashew milk, because of its rich creaminess and mild flavor. If you purchase nut milk, look for unsweetened, no added flavor, non-GMO, with no added salt or sweeteners. All you want that label to read is nuts and water. I prefer to make my own Cashew Milk. If you need to avoid nuts but still want the texture of a rich, cream-based soup, you can thicken it with a can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans. Put them in the blender or food processor for a quick puree and stir them into your soup stock. One more option would be to steam a head of cauliflower, then puree it until you reach your desired consistency and add to your soup as a thickener.

• Mayonnaise Swap

  Cashew mayonnaise is my favorite. I actually follow the same recipe as my Cashew Sour Cream, only I add a little seasoning to it. Depending on what I’m making I add seasoning such as chipotle powder, Old Bay Seasoning, miso paste for a salty flavor, or Dijon mustard for rich, tangy flavor in potato salad.

• Egg Swap for Baking

  1 egg = 1 Tbsp. ground flax or chia seed with 2 1/2 tablespoons of warm water, letting the mixture sit for about 10 minutes until it reaches an egg consistency.

  1 egg = 3 Tbsp. mashed banana

  1 egg = 3 Tbsp. aquafaba, it’s the liquid leftover after draining a can of chickpeas.

• Scrambled Eggs Swap

  If you miss scrambled eggs, this swap is just for you. Coarsely mash up some extra firm tofu, add a dash of turmeric to achieve the yellow coloring and add your favorite veggies such as onions, mushrooms, chives, peppers, a good grinding of black pepper, and let’s not forget the hot sauce! Tofu also makes a delicious base for a brunch frittata.

• Sugar Swap

  This is just a matter of swapping refined sugar with whole food natural sweeteners. Mashed banana makes for a good substitute sweetener in baking, as well as unsweetened apple sauce, or fruit pastes. I frequently replace sugar with Date Paste. Maple or agave syrup also makes for a good sugar swap in both cooking and baking.

• Ice Cream Swap

  I’m about to let you in on a real big plant-based secret right here…you don’t need dairy to make creamy ice cream. Us plant-based eaters call it “nice cream” and you can enjoy it as often as you like, even before bed! The magical ingredient? Frozen bananas. That’s it! Slice 3 bananas and freeze them. Once frozen, add the bananas to a blender along with 1/2 cup of your favorite frozen berries, add 2 Tbsp. water and blend until smooth. For variation you could swap out the berries for cocoa powder or peanut butter. “Nice” cream is high in potassium, vitamin B-6 and vitamin C, with none of the cancer causing proteins or artery clogging fats of the dairy version.

• White Rice and Pasta Swap

  Honestly, I didn’t think I would ever say I like whole grain pasta. But once you make the switch, and ride out the 30 days for your tastebuds to die off and regenerate, you ‘ll have a whole new appreciation for these delicious whole grain, legume and bean-based pastas. I enjoy whole wheat, brown rice, chickpea, lentil and black bean pasta. There’s even whole grain orzo pasta! You also have endless swaps for white rice; there’s brown rice in long grain, short grain, Jasmine, Basmati and sushi rice. Black jewel rice and wild rice are both yummy and pack 10 grams of protein in a single 1 cup serving! You can also swap out pasta and rice for grains and legumes. Bulgar, millet, tri-color quinoa and farro are a few of my favorites, as well as red lentils, green lentils, French lentils and yellow or green split peas. Don’t give up on these whole grain swaps too soon if your first reaction is undesirable. Your tastebuds are smarter than you think! These alternative rice and pastas will add complex flavor to your dishes, you just need to adapt your tastebuds to these new flavors and textures.

• Parmesan Cheese Swap

  Whatever you put Parmesan cheese on before, you can swap with this Parmesan Cheese! It’s super easy to make. All you need is 1 cup walnuts and 1/3 cup nutritional yeast. Pulse all ingredients in a blender or food processor until it’s coarsely blended and you now have a tasty cheese to sprinkle wherever you like a little extra flavor; baked potatoes, pasta, popcorn, steamed broccoli and cauliflower, etc.

The transition to a whole food, plant-based diet doesn’t have to be overwhelming or bland. Making these small swaps can make a big difference in your overall health, as well as on the health of our environment. All the love and good energy you get back from eating plants is well worth it!