You’re ready to reap the benefits of a plant-based diet but knowing where to start can pose a challenge. Rather than jumping right in to only consuming fruits and vegetables, you can limit your meat and dairy consumption with these easy vegan substitutions.
Meat Substitutes
Beyond long-standing tofu and soy, textured vegetable protein can replicate the taste of chicken and pea-protein based options can replace burgers. Jackfruit, mushrooms and beans offer the meatiness and umami you’re looking for in stews, soups and sandwiches. Our vegan menu includes a vast array of meat substitutes and preparation options.
Vegetables and Mushrooms
Reconsider how you prepare wraps, sandwiches and pasta sauces. Lettuce wraps provide a plant-based alternative to tortillas made with animal products. Portobello mushrooms can substitute meat when grilled, chopped and sauteed. Consider this approach if you’d ordinarily cook with ground beef or bacon.
Milk Substitutes
Soy and rice milks were the dominant choice for decades but today, this spectrum is more varied. You’ll find oat, cashew, almond, hemp and hazelnut milks at the store or can make your own. Coconut milk also provides a plant-based alternative to half-and-half and cream for your coffee. Usage can vary:
- Soy milk, along with an acid, offers a plant-based option in place of buttermilk.
- Cashew cream is growing in popularity for baking and replacing alfredo sauce or ricotta cheese.
- As you prepare meals or certain desserts, use coconut, almond or cashew milk as a thickener.
If nutritional value is a concern, plant-based milks are increasingly fortified with probiotics, vitamins and minerals.
Cheese Substitutes
When introduced a couple decades ago, soy cheese developed a reputation as rubbery and un-meltable. Today, varieties using nuts, coconut and aquafaba provide a stronger alternative. You’ll find options designed to taste and melt like mozzarella, spread like cream cheese or soften on a grilled plant-based patty. Many alternatives are also now fortified with calcium and B12 for improved nutrition.
Egg Substitutes
Powdered egg substitutes have been a long-standing option for baking and breakfast. The alternatives are also diversifying, including flax and aquafaba or chickpea water. Based on consistency and preparation, tofu can provide a substitute for making scrambled eggs, egg salad and a thickener for baking and cream sauces.
Explore the possibilities of eating vegan at Colony Diner! We have a variety of options for vegan breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. Stop by to dine in or place an order for pickup today!