Building a vegan kitchen – a reader’s question answered

Hey all! How was your Wednesday?
Here is another great question from a dear reader asking how to start transitioning to a vegan diet.

Hi there. First want to say that I absolutely love your blog. I must say it is very informative and I’ve loved trying some of the recipes that you have listed.
I never considered the whole eating clean or going vegan until about four years ago, but for whatever reason I never got on the bandwagon and stuck too it. Now, I’m fed up with my poor eating habits along with the way that I look. I want to finally start living the life I’ve dreamed about but the thing that’s holding me back is getting over that initial hump of just doing it and going vegan.
I know, I know, you are probably wondering who this crazy person is emailing you and I do have a point. I have done a lot of research but I was wanting advice from someone who has been on this journey longer than I have.
I’m starting to rebuild my kitchen through food and I was wondering if you knew of or could point me in the direction of any substitutions for eggs or is giving up eggs all together the best option? Also, what is the best route to go for flour and sweeteners? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks, Kelly

Wonderful questions, Kelly! You are not alone in this transition. In fact I can almost bet this is one of the main reasons people do not adopt a healthier lifestyle because they just do not know how or where to start.

It’s hard to look past the daily staples so many of us use – eggs, cheese,  milk, meat… If I was given a dollar for every time someone asked me “What do you eat?” when they find out I’m vegan/vegetarian I would be rich! There is life outside of the block of cheese and the breast of chicken, a fabulous, DELISCIOUS and kind life!

You asked the best way to get around the use of eggs. Are you referring to the eating of whole eggs or in terms of baking? Well, since you are not physically here to answer that, I will give my option for both.

If you are craving eggs, as in scrambled eggs, I love tofu scrambles. Although, they do not imitate an egg, in my opinion. I sure do love my tofu scrambles! I was never a huge egg fan before and I never have “cravings” for eggs. If you are looking for vegan quiches, eggs benedict or any other “eggy” type dish, Google is your friend! There is a vast world of vegan recipes just ready to be eaten.

Baking without eggs is pretty simple: I use flax seed replacer. 1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water (per one egg). Mix and let sit for 10 minutes. It will become jelly like and you can add it to any baked good recipe. Viola! Here is a great egg replacer article that I also recommend.

Flours are wonderful, except white flour. I always have a big bag of whole wheat flour in my pantry, along with spelt flour. A lot of vegan recipes can still be considered unhealthy, so I always search for clean eating, wholesome baked goods recipes.
The same goes with sweeteners. I LOVE  pure maple syrup! AND maple syrup flakes. I also use organic raw sugar and agave nectar. I always have these sweeteners on hand depending on what I am making or have a craving for. I also suggest you buying a large package of dates and keep them in your fridge. Dates are a natural sweetener that is decadent and used a lot in raw recipes. Plus, they are good to pop and eat all by themselves!

I really hope this helps your journey into veganism. One piece of advice that I cannot stress enough is: Start slow! Do not bite off more then you can handle – this only leads to frustration.

Healthy Eating!