Have you ever been in the mood to bake something but didn’t because of missing ingredients, wanting to reduce sugar or calories?  Or avoided it because you’re trying to stick to your goals? 

 

Here are some alternative baking ingredients and ways to make a recipe more plant based!

 

Reduce saturated fat in recipes with butter. 

Butter substitutes:

  • Oil helps maintain moisture in baking such as muffins and cakes. 

Note: Use neutral flavored oils such as avocado or coconut which contain omega 3 healthy fats and help with management of LDL aka the “bad” cholesterol.   

 

A few common amounts:

3/4c oil = 1c butter

½ c oil = 2/3 c butter

 

  • Substitute equal amounts of pureed avocado for butter using a 1:1 ratio 

 

Eggs help bind ingredients together and help leaven or “raise” products achieving a thick, fluffy texture in cakes or other sweets. 

 

Egg substitutes: 

  • Aquafaba, liquid in a can of chickpeas, is a simple egg replacement.  For each egg in the recipe, lightly whisk 3 tablespoons of aquafaba until frothy and add to the recipe.  Can also be substituted for whipped egg whites to be folded into batters, or used as a frosting and meringue.  

 

  • Ground chia or flax seeds:  1 tablespoon of seeds to 3 tablespoons water.  Stir, let sit for 10-15 mins to make a paste. Each flax “egg”  = 1 standard egg. 

 

  • ¼ c applesauce or mashed banana per egg.  This also adds fruit and natural sweetness into your baked goods!

 

Flour substitute: 

  • Swap ½ of all-purpose white flour with alternative flours such as oat, chickpea, almond or use 100% whole wheat flours.  These add protein, fiber and other nutrients.

 

Great for cakes, cookies and quick breads such as banana and zucchini breads.  

 

Substitute refined sugars with natural sugar:

  • Up to ½ the amount of granulated sugar with pureed fruits such as strawberries, bananas, or unsweetened applesauce.  

 

Substitute dairy milk with dairy free (plant-based) alternatives to reduce fat:

  • Plant based milks such as oat, soy and almond may be used in a 1:1 ratio.  May use sweetened, unsweetened, or vanilla flavored milks depending on recipe.

 

Example of 1 to 1 ratio:

1 cup dairy milk = 1 cup soy milk

½ cup dairy milk = ½ cup soy milk

 

Try these banana bread cookies (sweetened with banana & made with oats!):

https://yourlifenutrition.org/5-ingredient-banana-bread-cookies/

 

What have you baked recently with healthier swaps?  Let us know in the comments below!

 

Post created by: Your Life Nutrition Intern, Christopher Milhoan- Senior Dietetics Major, University of Akron