April 21 through April 29 there were bake sales all around the world.
What kind of bake sales?
Vegan bake sales! These sales were all part of the fourth annual Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale.
What is the motivation for participating in a vegan bake sale?
The benefits of vegan baking…
Besides learning the value and ease of baking without animal products you can:
- Raise funds for a good cause.
- Have fun while exposing others to the benefits of vegan baked goods and how delicious they really are.
I had the great pleasure of organizing and participating in a vegan bake sale last weekend as part of a local green street festival. We sold almost everything in just a few hours with only positive feedback. We raised awareness as well as funds for our vegetarian society and a local horse rescue.
Okay, you’re convinced and want to join in next year.
The burning question!
What do I use instead of eggs, milk, and butter?
While I am not particularly a good baker I have had some good experiences with egg substitutes.
The easiest one?
Buying and using an egg replacer in a box! I use Ener-G. Unless you do a tremendous amount of baking this box will pretty much last forever. The easy to follow directions are right on the box and it works well for most baked goods.
I always have flaxseed meal on hand for my smoothies and omega-3 source. For one egg mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of warm water over low heat using a fork to stir continuously until the mixture thickens.
Having unsweetened applesauce in my fridge is hit or miss. When I do, it takes 1/4 cup to equal one egg.
Tofu has other uses besides stir-fry.
For the equivalent of one egg add 1/4 cup of well drained silken tofu to a blender or food processor until desired consistency, approximately 10 to 20 seconds.
When your bananas are just a little too ripe for you to enjoy mash or puree one as a replacement for one egg.
No butter blues here!
When a recipe calls for butter, replace with margarine.
Verify it’s vegan by checking the ingredient list or look for vegan on the package. Oil is already vegan, so no need to “veganize!”
A different kind of milk
Finding a milk substitute is almost too easy!
Non-dairy milks are everywhere and available from different sources:
- almond
- soy
- hemp
- oat
- coconut
I find rice milk tends to be way too thin and way too watery for baking. Non-dairy milks also come in different varieties: chocolate, vanilla, original, sweetened, unsweetened, and light.
By preparing vegan baked goods or simply partaking in them you are contributing to less animal suffering, less destruction of our planet’s resources, and preservation of your own body.
And you certainly won’t miss the cholesterol and animal fat!