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I’ve included a few recipes in this book that call for grated cheese. For example, the Cheesy Rolls (recipe in Chapter 8) calls for vegan cheddar cheese and nutritional yeast flakes. These two ingredients make the Cheesy Rolls … well, “cheesy”!

Unlike bakers’ active dry yeast, or compressed cake yeast, nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast with a nutty, cheeselike flavor. It contains a wide assortment of minerals and B vitamins and can provide a reliable dietary source of vitamin B12. It comes in a fine powder, suitable for making “cheesy” gravies and sauces, or in small and large flakes, perfect for adding to macaroni and cheese, casseroles, breads, and anything else that needs a cheesy flavor. Follow the recipe for amounts and instructions.

Although most hard and semi-soft vegan cheeses are made of soy or rice, some brands are nut-based, the most common being almond or cashew. Tofutti brand carries vegan American and mozzarella soy-cheese slices.

DOUGH-NOT

Be sure to always check ingredient lists because some soy cheeses contain casein or a milk derivative known as caseinate.

For recipes calling for hard vegan cheese, grate with a cheese grater or put through a food processor with the grater attachment.

Healthful Honey Replacers

The Vegan Society formally defines veganism as “the doctrine that man should live without exploiting animals.” Some vegans maintain that honey is an animal product, claiming that honeybees are intelligent, feel pain, and are being exploited and enslaved by man. Many vegans avoid honey for that reason, but consuming honey is a matter of personal choice.

Purists have a number of options when it comes to replacing honey, including barley malt and corn syrup. (These will, however, alter the taste a little.) But let’s look at some other healthy alternatives to honey.

Also known as agave nectar, agave syrup is a liquid sweetener derived from the Mexican agave cactus. It has a light, delicate flavor sweeter than honey, so you can use 25 percent less in recipes.

Pure maple syrup, a sweetener made from the sap of sugar maple or black maple trees, comes in different grades. Dark Amber and Grade B maple syrups are most often used in baked goods and desserts. Both grades have a stronger maple flavor than the Fancy Grade A maple syrup used for pancakes. When substituting maple syrup for honey, use the same amount. However, be aware that because maple syrup has a strong and distinct flavor, it can alter the finished taste of your baked goods.

Brown rice syrup is a sweetener produced by fermenting brown rice with enzymes to break down the grain’s natural starches. The liquid is then strained off and cooked down to a syruplike consistency. When substituting, 1¼ cups rice syrup = 1 cup sugar (use ¼ cup less of another liquid in the recipe, too).

Molasses or blackstrap molasses is a dark, thick, bittersweet syrup that results from the production of sugar. It contains several B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, and manganese. Because molasses has such a strong and unique flavor, it has limited applications particularly for taste because the substitution is equal parts for equal parts. However, if you’re making something with a delicate or mild flavor, it would be better to use rice syrup, agave syrup, or even maple syrup. You could also use half molasses and half agave, or rice syrup so the flavor isn’t so strong.

The Least You Need to Know

• Eggs are one of the toughest ingredients to bake without, but with the substitutions in this chapter, you can be egg free and loving it!

• Dairy products are highly overrated. Make yourself a “cheesecake” with a cream cheese alternative, and see how good a dairy-free lifestyle can really be.

• With so many new vegan and healthy items to try at the supermarket, alternatives like tofu and agave syrup are just a few of the many ways to make vegan eating more delicious than ever!

• Not into honey? Don’t worry. With so many alternatives to the bees’ pride and joy, you’ll have no shortage of delicious