It has been a while since I last posted. I must admit, I fell into the trap of trying to do too much at once and got completely overwhelmed making the videos to compliment the food creations. So in this season, I am going back to the basics: tips and tricks to stretch your food dollars, delicious recipes, and lessons learned that hopefully prevent you from the same pitfalls. Let’s start with egg alternatives.
Let’s Talk About Eggs and Egg Alternatives
After spending more than $15 dollars on two dozen eggs this week, I thought others might be in need of some egg substitutes to help buoy the current egg shortage. I primarily consume eggs as an addition to breakfast and also use them with baking. Check out some tips below on egg alternatives for these two categories.
Breakfast
Since I am currently rationing to one egg per day or a skip day, I have to get that protein from other sources. I have found Greek yogurt, cottage cheese and ground turkey or chicken a great alternative.
Greek yogurt: On average, protein per serving ranges from 15g to 19g which is more than double that of an egg anyway. This is great as a base for a morning parfait that can be packed with healthy nuts and chia seeds or a granola of choice. It is also great as a higher protein replacement for sour cream, or as an addition to oatmeal. I have found cost that range between $3.99-$6.49 a tub for some of the organic varieties. And considering this is on average at least 4 servings, it is money well spent on protein.
Cottage Cheese: This gets a bad rep because honestly alot of folks just don’t know what to do with it. At an average of 12g to 15g per serving this is also double or more than double the protein of an egg. It is great in a wrap with sauteed vegetables and seasoned ground meat for something savory, or topped with sliced peaches or pineapples for something sweet. This is also inexpensive at a range of $2.99-$3.99 per tub where it also includes about 4 servings.
Ground Turkey/Ground Chicken: The lean meats are where it’s at! ground turkey packs 20g of protein per serving and chicken 21g of protein. I have easily found that cooking it with onion, garlic, smoked paprika and an herb like thyme, it is easy to add to breakfast wraps for the same taste of breakfast sausage but with higher protein.
Baking
Now I know that eggs add moisture, binding and sometimes richness to baked goods. Depending on what it is, you may can do without it altogether, or use alternatives that add moisture or to help bind the batter. Below are two alternatives that I have used in recipes like pancakes, bread loaves and cookies.
Chia seed egg. While this may not sound like the most delightful thing, it easily adds a good source of fiber and other nutrients like calcium, omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants. To replace an egg, it is simply one tbsp of chia seeds and 2-3 tbsp of water. Let it sit for at least 3 minutes to form a gel.
Flaxseed egg. Similar to a chia seed egg, the flaxseed egg requires a tablespoon of ground flaxseed and 3 tbsps. of water to make the “egg”. Flaxseeds also are a powerhouse of nutrients sharing those listed for chia seeds and also known to help regulate hormones.
If you find these tips helpful, check out my e-book where you can find more tips on how to save money through meal prepping. Use coupon code TIP25 at checkout to access it for $1.99. Stay tuned for the next posting on cost effective meal options!