Say “No” to National Egg Month.

Apparently, May is “National Egg Month” (barf).  Millions of people will celebrate by continuing to slurp down those gelatinous blobs of undeveloped chicken but Registered Dietitians like Virginia Messian are urging people to try “egg alternatives” this May instead.  Save your self the triple bypass and take her advice.

Messian says that, nutritionally, “there is nothing in an egg that you can’t easily get elsewhere.”  Functionally is also a big argument for the use of the egg, especially in baking.  However many egg alternatives can provide the same lift and body you remember mom’s cookies always had.  Here’s a few suggestions:

For each egg:
• Grind 1 heaping tablespoon of whole flaxseed in a blender until it becomes a fine meal. Add 3 tablespoons cold water and blend until thick and viscous. The consistency is just like raw egg.
• Beat together 2 tbsp water, 1 tbsp oil, and 2 tsp baking powder
• Whip 1 tbsp plain agar powder (a seaweed product found in most natural foods stores) with 1 tbsp water. Chill and then whip again.
• Mix 1 tbsp full-fat soy flour with 3 tbsp water
• Mix together 1 tbsp white vinegar and 1 tsp baking soda; it makes an instant light foam.

It’s important to remember that eggs just aren’t worth it when you consider their cost in terms of animal suffering. “Even cage-free farms, chickens are routinely and painfully debeaked; some starve to death because they can’t eat with their painful broken beaks. Male chicks are tossed into piles, and then gassed or macerated (ground up) within hours of hatching since they have no role in the egg production industry.”

Go wild, be creative, be healthy, and try your favorite family recipe veganized with egg alternative.  I think you be surprised with the results.