How to Replace Eggs in Your Cooking

Eggs haven't always been available and human ingenuity has created numerous ways to avoid their use, whether it be because you have run out, there's an egg ration, you're a vegan, you're allergic to them or you just plain hate them. Here are some suggestions.

1. Work out what you want your egg replacement to do. Do you want to replace a whole egg, or just the yolk or just the white? This will help determine what to use in place of the egg product. Eggs have different uses - sometimes they are used for binding, sometimes for leavening (making lighter/fluffier) or sometimes just for the taste. You should also try to be aware of which of these elements you are trying to replace.
   
   
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   Fruit makes an excellent replacement for eggs - try bananas, apple puree or any high pectin content fruit. Usually 1/4 cup of banana will replace 1 egg.
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   Tofu is fabulous as a replacement, as it will take on the flavour of whatever you are cooking it with. As a general rule, 1/4 cup of tofu will replace 1 egg. Whip or beat it before adding it to the recipe. Make sure to use silken tofu - firmer types will not blend well. You can also use 1/4 cup of soy yogurt per egg.
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   Grind 1 tbsp whole flaxseeds (or use 2 1/2 tbsp pre-ground flaxseed) and combine with 3 tablespoons of water to replace one egg. Make sure that the mixture has gelled before using it. Some people recommend simmering the two items together to thicken this mix.
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   For a replacement for just the egg white, mix 1 tbsp plain agar powder (available from health food stores/Chinese stores etc) with 1 tbsp water. Whip together, chill it and then whip it again.
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   Another egg replacement is 2 tbsp water mixed with 1 tbsp of oil and 2 tspn of baking powder. Mix together well before adding.
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   In savory recipes, such as a vegetarian loaf, try binding agents like mashed potato, tomato paste or rolled oats. These agents help to thicken and gel with the other ingredients. Also bread crumbs, cornmeal/flour, arrowroot and whole-wheat flour are good substitutions.
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   Apple sauce, canned pumpkin, mashed canned fruit of choice - all of these can be used as an egg replacement in baked goods. These will leave their own flavour of course, so be sure of the taste you want. Fruit can make the baked item heavier, so add a little baking powder if this concerns you. Try the blends of peach/apple; strawberry/apple etc for delicious muffins.
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   It is possible to make pancakes without eggs. In fact, any flat baked product that requires only 1 - 2 eggs can usually survive without an egg with no problems. The main thing is to substitute a little extra liquid ( 1 - 2 tbsp) to make up for the egg's removal. There are differing recipes (some just with flour, some with fruit such as mashed banana), so it is best to use a search engine to find a recipe you like. They do work, so try them out, just be sure the pan they are fried in is seasoned as you would with normal pancakes.
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    An egg sandwich? Yes! You can use tofu - use a search engine or a tofu/vegetarian cookbook for suggested recipes. It still tastes good, and curried tofu-egg sandwiches are a must.