Non-dairy substitutions

Here is a website about substitutions, further down it talks about substituting soy milk for regular milk.  Hope this helps.

http://vegetarian.about.com/od/vegetarianvegan101/f/MilkSubstitutes.htm

The article linked has some accurate observations. Your chosen substitute will depend on why you are subbing.If there is a true allergy,pay attention to every ingredient in the mixed soy products. Some of them have casein  (milk protein-implicated in an allergic/anaphylactic shock response)or lactose (milk sugar-implicated in lactose intolerance and digestive disturbances/pain). If it is for a person choosing a vegan lifestyle, either one of these substances won't cause a physical reaction.

I sub soy milk directly for liquid milk.

Milk/whey powder-never subbed-tried to eliminate or add liquid soymilk, instead.If I need some browning capability, add a little sugar. If the milk/whey is being added for protein, I would try the soy powder or soy baby formula(the kind with no milk).

Farm Rich or Rich Whip is non-dairy-it is in the freezer case-frozen liquid.Not the best ingredients.

Silk brand soy has a soy Creamer but they do have vanilla and sugar in it.

Tofutti products are wonderful if the ingredients are ok(may have some dairy).There is a "sour cream" and a "cream cheese"

Butter-I sub oil but you may need to compensate on the salt.Also, try less.

You have to use a saturated fat when the fat is needed for the texture-cookies or pastry.Most cakes are fine with an oil sub.There are cookie and piecrust recipes with oil but they are much denser-less desirable texture.A hard fat occupies the space between the flour particles and prevents the flour starch from forming a paste. When it is baked, the fat melts from the spaces and the flour structure sets. That is why pastry is flaky or cookies are a soft crunch.

Margerine-never touch it.My personal belief is that the body handles butterfat better than man-hydrogenated fat.

I lived with 2 kids that had milk issues-both lactose intolerance and true allergy. They ate just fine-the thing they missed the most? Pizza and ice cream. The commercial subs for that are just not the same as the real thing.They are closer these days than ever,tho.

I find that this is quite a good non-dairy substitute for whipping cream. You can buy it certified kosher.

The main ingredient is hydrogenated palm oil, plus sugar, but several "e"s.

 I use it to make a non-dairy ice cream, which most people think is nicer than the real thing.

**milk (soy milk, rice milk, almond milk?)

yes, yes and yes. silk makes an unflavored, unsweetened soy milk if you don't want the flavor to interfere with the recipe

** non-fat dry milk powder (soy beverage powder exists, is it a reasonable substitute?)

powdered soy milk is what i use without any problems

** Whey powder (can the soy powder substitute?)

not familiar with how that would be used. maybe soy lecithin could be used?

** buttermilk (soy milk mixed with lemon juice or vinegar, what proportions?)

about a 1-1 1/2 teaspoons per cup should do it

** butter (margerine--brands to suggest or stay away from? shortening--again, brands to stay away from or recommend? When can I use oil rather than shortenings that may contain less healthy hydrogenated fats?)

i second earth balance. it's non hydrogenated and often oils will not act the same as a solid margarine in a recipe

** Sour cream (tofutti's better than sour cream is the only one I know of; are there others? Does this work?)

i've use that with great results. i think vegan gourmet now makes one as well

** Yogurt (I have seen a few soy-based yogurts in the health food store--anyone bake with them?)

i use soy yogurt as a sub with no problems. 

check out a vegan cookbook from the library some time, or browse at a book store. you can see how baking is handled without using dairy.

also, someone else said casein wouldn't cause any ill affects to a vegan. maybe not, but vegans do not eat any animal products, including casein. please don't serve anything with casein, or any animal products for that matter, to a vegan. it's deceitful.

laura

I have only tried some of these substitutions, this is what I've found:

Rice milk and soy milk both work well as subs for liquid milk.  The soy is often richer and adds more body.  I have rice milk in the house all the time and use it most often.  It also works well in breads that call for milk.

For milk powder - if the recipe has a liquid ingredient, I reduce it and add the rice milk or soy.  If the dry milk is very small - teaspoon or so, I just omit it.  So far so good.  I used the soy powder years ago for breads, but found no marked difference without it.

I mix about one generous teaspoon of vinegar per cup of rice or soy milk as a buttermilk sub.

I use Earth Balance margerine.  Not the whipped version.  It is O- U Parve.  I agree that oil works fine for cakes, you'll probably need to reduce other liquids a little.

I personally do not like the taste of most of the Tofutti products.  They are like plastic.  Rich Whip tastes great but has zero food value and is basically a chemical stew.

I don't have experience with soy yogurts. 

Hope this helps,

Marni

You could make Kefir coconut cream as a substitute for buttermilk, I use kefir as a substitute and I have heard other kefir users doing this who cannot tolerate dairy.