Vegetarian, Vegan Ingredients and plant-based Alternatives with the recipes and health benefits
Agar agar
According to ScienceDirect, “Agar (agar agar) is a gelatinous substance that is extracted from seaweed and processed into flakes, powders, and sheets. It is commonly used in Asian cuisines and as a flavorless vegan substitute for gelatin. Agar helps gel, stabilize, texturize and thicken beverages, baked goods, confectioneries, dairy products, dressings, meat products, and sauces.”
Agar gels at low concentrations; the gel is opaque in color and chewy in texture, making it versatile in both cold and hot dishes. A general rule of thumb is to use 1 tablespoon of agar flakes or 1 teaspoon of agar powder to thicken 1 cup of liquid.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/agar
Agave
According to Healthline, “Agave is a desert plant harvested to make tequila and sweet syrup. It was traditionally believed to have healing properties.”
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/agave-nectar-is-even-worse-than-sugar
Great on Salads, Veggies, Rice & Beans, Tofu, Tempeh, Potatoes, Meat, Poultry, Fish and Popcorn and in Dressings, Gravies & Sauces, Casseroles, Stir-fries and Macrobiotics.
Bragg Liquid Aminos
According to Bragg Live Foods, Inc. “Bragg Liquid Aminos is not fermented, is Gluten-Free and made from non-GMO soybeans and purified water. It is an excellent alternative for Tamari and Soy Sauce.”
https://bragg.com/products/bragg-liquid-aminos-soy-alternative.html
Cocoa butter
According to Nuts.com, “Cocoa butter is a stable, edible and plant-based fat pressed from the cacao bean. The process begins with whole cacao beans, which are fermented, and separated from their hulls. The cacao bean is comprised of about 54 percent fat (cocoa butter), and the remaining part is fibrous solids (cacao powder). The goal is to separate the cocoa butter from the fibrous powder so that they can be recombined at varying levels to make chocolate. The beans are finely ground into chocolate liquor, which is pressed to remove the butter. Cocoa butter is an essential ingredient in chocolate and can also be used for beauty and cosmetic applications.”
https://nuts.com/nuts/cacao/butter.html
Carob
According to WebMD, “Carob is a tree. Don’t confuse carob with Jacaranda carob which is also known as carob tree. People use the carob fruit for medicine and in foods. Carob is a cocoa-like powder that can be used in shakes, baked goods, and whenever a recipe calls for chocolate. Carob is sweet, high in fiber, and it contains calcium, iron, and phosphorus, but does not contain caffeine as chocolate does. Carob comes from the seed pod of the evergreen carob tree.
Carob contains chemicals called tannins, which decrease the effectiveness of certain substances (enzymes) that help with digestion. Carob might cause weight loss, reduce blood sugar and insulin levels, and lower cholesterol levels.”
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-321/carob
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is 100% fat, 80-90% of which is saturated fat. This gives it a firm texture at cold or room temperatures. Fat is made up of smaller molecules called fatty acids, and there are several types of saturated fatty acids in coconut oil. The predominant type is lauric acid (47%), with myristic and palmitic acids present in smaller amounts, which have been shown in research to raise harmful LDL levels. Also present in trace amounts are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
According to Harvard.edu, “Coconut oil contains no cholesterol, no fiber, and only traces of vitamins, minerals, and plant sterols. Plant sterols have a chemical structure that mimics blood cholesterol and may help to block the absorption of cholesterol in the body. However, the amount found in a few tablespoons of coconut oil is too small to produce a beneficial effect.”
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/coconut-oil/
Egg Replacer
According to the kitchen, “5 Vegan Substitutes for Eggs in Baking Egg Replacer is a powdered formula of starches and leavening. Mix with water to use in recipes that call for eggs (muffins, pancakes, etc).
1 Ener-G Egg Replacer
2 Flaxseed
3 Silken Tofu
4 Baking Soda and Vinegar
5 Banana
https://www.thekitchn.com/5-vegan-substitutes-for-eggs-in-baking-tips-from-the-kitchn-136591
Hemp seed nuts
According to Nowfoods,”High in Protein and Iron.Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids. They can be eaten raw, roasted, and salted, ground into a meal, enjoyed as a topping or used in a variety of baking applications. Hemp seeds have a delicious, mild, nutty flavor, making them a good substitute for nuts and seeds in many applications.
The seeds of the hemp plant have valuable naturally occurring essential fatty acids, including omega-3 and omega-6, and their easily digestible protein content has amino acids in a perfect ratio for healthy nutrition. As with all nuts and seeds, hemp seeds also have naturally occurring fiber and minerals.”
https://www.nowfoods.com/natural-foods/hemp-seed-hearts-organic
https://www.bluemountainorganics.com/raw-nuts-and-seeds/hemp-seed-organic.html
Kelps
According to Wiki, Kelps are large brown algae seaweeds that make up the order Laminariales. There are about 30 different genera.
Kelp grows in “underwater forests” (kelp forests) in shallow oceans and is thought to have appeared in the Miocene, 5 to 23 million years ago. The organisms require nutrient-rich water with temperatures between 6 and 14 °C (43 and 57 °F). They are known for their high growth rate—the genera Macrocystis and Nereocystis can grow as fast as half a meter a day, ultimately reaching 30 to 80 meters (100 to 260 ft).
Through the 19th century, the word “kelp” was closely associated with seaweeds that could be burned to obtain soda ash (primarily sodium carbonate). The seaweeds used included species from both the orders Laminariales and Fucales.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelp
Kombu
Kombu is an edible kelp seaweed that can be eaten raw or cooked. It is commonly used in Asian cooking and usually sold in packaged dried strips.
http://www.kurakonusa.com/kombu/king/index.htmlhttp://www.kurakonusa.com/kombu/king/index.html
Molasses or blackstrap molasses
Molasses or blackstrap molasses is a dark syrup leftover from the sugar production process. It is commonly used to flavor rye bread, baked beans, pies, gingerbread, and cookies. Molasses has a strong, bittersweet flavor, and a little goes a long way.
https://www.medichttps://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318719.phpalnewstoday.com/articles/318719.php
Miso
Miso is a salty-flavored fermented paste from soybeans, rice, or barley. It is rich in protein, minerals, and vitamins. Mix with water, then add to soups or gravies during the last phase of cooking, in order to keep the nutrients alive (do not boil it or it loses its nutritional properties). Also, add it to salad dressings and sauces.
Nama Shoyu
Nama Shoyu is an unpasteurized soy sauce made from soybeans. It has a full-bodied flavor and contains live enzymes. A healthful alternative to conventional soy sauce.
https://www.vitacost.com/ohsawa-organic-nama-shoyu
Nutritional Yeast
Nutritional Yeast is a food supplement grown on cane or beet molasses which comes in yellow powder or flakes with a ‘cheesy’ flavor. When nutritional yeast is made from a natural fermentation source and not from a synthetic or animal source, it contains enough vitamin B-12 to fulfill a daily requirement.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutritional_yeast
Protein Powder
Protein Powder is a protein supplement in powder form. Ingredients and nutritional value vary widely. Check ingredients for allergies. Choose one with low sugar or sweetener content and no additive.
Plant sources of protein include soy, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. More and more options are available for vegans these days. Meat alternatives like soy burgers, BOCA burgers and seitan (a thick textured meat replacement made from wheat gluten) provide a variety of options for those who want to re-invent some favorite meat-containing recipes. Soy “dairy” products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt are also great options (and they’re often fortified with calcium).
Quinoa
Quinoa is a light, fluffy, tasty, fast-cooking grain that is high in iron, protein, and B-vitamins. Also known as “Food of gods,” it is an ancient grain native to South America. Possibly the best grain available.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/healthy-eating-all-about-quinoa
Vegan Sour Cream–
https://www.thespruceeats.com/vegan-dairy-free-sour-cream-1000729
Seitan
Seitan is a textured food product derived from the protein portion of wheat or wheat gluten. The seitan is high in protein and low in fat. Prepared seitan comes in a variety of flavors and textures. Some vegetarian restaurants also serve seitan in their dishes.
Spelt
According to Wiki,” Spelt (Triticum spelta; Triticum dicoccum), also known as Dinkel wheat or hulled wheat, is a species of wheat cultivated since approximately 5000 BC.
Spelt was an important staple in parts of Europe from the Bronze Age to medieval times; it now survives as a relict crop in Central Europe and northern Spain, and has also found a new market as a ‘health food’. Spelt is sometimes considered a subspecies of the closely related species common wheat.
