When I first began cooking plant-based, I was sad when I realized that a lot of my favorite recipes required eggs. I knew how to replace the milk and butter, but what about the eggs? I was so excited when I learned about what has become my favorite substitute: the flax egg.
I’ve found this to work well in most breads, including scones, muffins, pancakes, waffles, and some cakes (although I generally prefer using applesauce as a binder in my cakes to make them more moist).
Not only is flax super high in omega 3’s (which is great for brain health), but it is also a great binder for baking. Simply mix it into the recipe at the same point that you would mix in the egg. You only need two ingredients and a couple minutes!
You can buy pre-ground flax meal, but it loses it’s nutritional value as it sits, and can also turn rancid after a while. I prefer buying whole flax seeds, and then grinding a little at a time in a seed or coffee grinder as I need it. It can keep for about a week in an air-tight container in the fridge. If the flax meal is too old, it won’t thicken the way it is supposed to.
I like to make the flax egg first in a recipe, so that it’s ready when I need to add it. After you’ve ground your flax seeds, simply mix 1 Tablespoon flax meal with 3 Tablespoons hot water (hot makes it thicken faster) in a small bowl. Set it aside to thicken for a few minutes, then mix it into the recipe. It’s that easy. 🙂
I hope this becomes an edition to your bag of plant-based baking tips! If you try it, let me know how it goes. 🙂
- 1 Tbsp ground flax
- 3 Tbsp hot water
- Mix flax meal and hot water in a small bowl.
- Set aside until thick.
- Mix into recipe instead of egg.
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