The UnDiet Substitutes

Some substitutes are perfectly acceptable, others are somewhat acceptable (indicated by italicized type) and therefore should be used only occasionally or if you just must have that particular item (i.e. comfort food, family or peer pressure, having a party ...). If there is no entry under a certain column that means that there is no substitute needed for that food group. If an entry spans two or more columns then it works for those two or three food groups.

This page is a full list of all the UnDiet substitutes. If you're focusing on a Protein Blast or meat free diet you can print out either the Protein Substitutes or Starch Substitutes pages.

Soy products that contain Starches such as grain syrup or food starch are in a small enough amount that if you're on a vegetarian diet you can safely use them in place of meat in Protein dishes.

Type of Food

Protein

Starch

Neutral

Baked Goods

chocolate
Substitute cocoa powder and a little butter, or unsweetened chocolate or carob. Adjust the sweetener to compensate for the loss of sugar that would have been in the semi-sweet or milk chocolate.

egg

These substitutions don't work well for cookies, but are great for all other baked goods.
To reduce fat you can substitute liquid egg, 1/4 cup = 1 egg Three egg yolks = one whole egg.
3 tablespoons pureed or well mashed tofu for each egg called for. It really does work!

flour
Replace white flour with soy flour.
Replace 1/4 of the flour with ground nuts, seeds, or ground dried vegetables.
Replace white flour with sifted whole grain flour, using 1/4 less than the recipe calls for. .

sugar
Replace sugar with Stevia, Sucanat, honey, pure maple syrup, date or maple sugar. Experiment to find the amount that will satisfy you.

Beverages:

beer
. non-alcoholic beer

coffee
. roasted grain beverages decaf
cream instead of milk, half & half or non-dairy creamer
date/maple sugar instead of white sugar or sugar sub.

cola
sparkling water with fresh Fruit juice

wine
dilute with water (the French do it), sparkling water if you must

Breading & Breadcrumbs

Ground:

pork rinds
sesame seeds
nuts
any mixture of the above
soy flour
whole grain bread crumbs
whole grain flour
..

Crust for a Dessert
Pastry crust: soy flour pastry crust.
Protein Crepe with sweetener added.
whole wheat pastry
whole wheat tortilla or lavosh coated with butter and/or honey/maple syrup
Crumb Crust: sugar free whole grain cookies or graham crackers
Crumb crust: ground nuts with a little soy flour. .

Crust for an Entree

A crust can often be omitted or use one of these substitutes.
Rice Crust: soy granules or finely chopped nuts. You may need to add extra moisture to hold the crust together, you can add water, softened or melted butter, broth.
Pastry Crust: Protein Crepes, or melt butter in an omelette pan, thinly coat bottom with egg and cook until done, or Soy Flour Crust.
whole wheat pastry crust
whole wheat tortillas
crumb crust: whole grains, ground nuts or seeds
.

Dairy

American, Cheddar, Mozzarella or Jack Cheese
nondairy or real dairy. nondairy cheese .

condensed milk
Pour 1 cup water and 4 cups soy powder into a large saucepan. Let sit for 2 hours, then bring to a boil and boil for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add (for sweetened condensed milk 2 cups unrefined sugar) 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and 1/4 cup butter stirring until dissolved. Makes 1 quart. Store in refrigerator up to 2 months.

cottage cheese
Mash firm tofu with a fork, add a little heavy cream.

cream cheese
. nondairy cream cheese

farmers cheese/hoop cheese
. Mix nondairy cream cheese & roughly mashed tofu. .

milk
. nondairy milk watered down cream, or soy/nut/seed milk

ricotta cheese
. Same as cottage cheese. .

yogurt
. dairy or nondairy sour cream or nondairy yogurt creme fraiche or clabbered cream

Eggs
Frozen egg substitute tastes great and is healthy. Make sure that you buy one with no additives.
Two egg whites for one whole egg, except in cookies.
One whole egg and two to three egg whites and you won't notice any difference in the taste.
1/4 cup well mashed tofu for each egg.
Soy mayo for regular mayo. .
...

Sauces:

Roux Sauces
arrowroot flour or soy flour instead of white or wheat flour whole grain or arrowroot flour instead of white flour Add water to heavy cream to sub for milk or half & half.

Tomato Paste, Tomato Sauce, & Tomato Pasta Sauce

Add Dried Tomato Paste or sauce at the end of a recipe so the tomatoes don't cook. For a richer flavor add the tomato paste or sauce and let rest for 15 - 30 minutes. Reheat if necessary, taking care not to let it boil.
If it's impossible to add the tomatoes at the end use pureed roasted red bell peppers instead as they can be cooked.
. .. . Tomato Paste : Soak dried tomatoes in medium hot water for an hour - overnight. Puree using only enough of the soaking liquid to make a thick puree. Tip: For a shorter soaking time dice the tomatoes before adding water.
Tomato Sauce: add more liquid.
Pasta Sauce:Add broth, cream, olive oil or combo until sauce is desired consistency. (Stir in spices.) Allow flavors to meld for 15 - 30 minutes.

Vegetables
. .. . .

carrot
Slow Cooked Tomatoes, yellow or orange bell pepper, fennel, celery .. . .

corn
onion, celery, bell pepper .. . .

potato
cauliflower, onion, fennel, jicima (yes it can be cooked!) .. . .

tomato
red bell pepper, yellow tomatoes (they're less acidic than red tomatoes) or Slow Cooked Tomatoes: place cored tomatoes cut in 8-10 wedges or chunks skin side down on a baking sheet lined with oiled foil. Bake at 115 degrees for 4-8 hours depending on how moist you want them. Check every 60 minutes. Since these take so long to dry I make 2 full trays & freeze the excess.

winter squash
yellow or orange bell pepper, fennel, cauliflower .. . .

As I continue cooking, eating and generally enjoying food I'll be coming up with more substitutes. If you would like to be notified via e-mail when new substitutes are added just click on this e-mail link and type Update in the subject line. When you sign up for e-mail notification you will also be notified when I make any significant additions to this site, including new recipes.

If you would like information on a substitute that you don't see here go to Favorite Recipes , fill out and mail in the form there.

Next Step
more Protein Substitutes | more Starch Substitutes | Home

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UnDiet@prodigy.net
last revised September 15, 2001
Copyright Kathleane C. O'Leary 1997-2001 all rights reserved
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Type of Food	Protein	Starch	Neutral
Baked Goods chocolate	Substitute cocoa powder and a little butter, or unsweetened chocolate or carob. Adjust the sweetener to compensate for the loss of sugar that would have been in the semi-sweet or milk chocolate.
egg These substitutions don't work well for cookies, but are great for all other baked goods.	To reduce fat you can substitute liquid egg, 1/4 cup = 1 egg	Three egg yolks = one whole egg. 3 tablespoons pureed or well mashed tofu for each egg called for. It really does work!
flour	Replace white flour with soy flour. Replace 1/4 of the flour with ground nuts, seeds, or ground dried vegetables.	Replace white flour with sifted whole grain flour, using 1/4 less than the recipe calls for.	.
sugar	Replace sugar with Stevia, Sucanat, honey, pure maple syrup, date or maple sugar. Experiment to find the amount that will satisfy you.
Beverages: beer	.	non-alcoholic beer
coffee	.	roasted grain beverages	decaf cream instead of milk, half & half or non-dairy creamer date/maple sugar instead of white sugar or sugar sub.
cola	sparkling water with fresh Fruit juice
wine	dilute with water (the French do it), sparkling water if you must
Breading & Breadcrumbs	Ground: pork rinds sesame seeds nuts any mixture of the above soy flour	whole grain bread crumbs whole grain flour	..
Crust for a Dessert	Pastry crust: soy flour pastry crust. Protein Crepe with sweetener added.	whole wheat pastry whole wheat tortilla or lavosh coated with butter and/or honey/maple syrup Crumb Crust: sugar free whole grain cookies or graham crackers	Crumb crust: ground nuts with a little soy flour. .
Crust for an Entree A crust can often be omitted or use one of these substitutes.	Rice Crust: soy granules or finely chopped nuts. You may need to add extra moisture to hold the crust together, you can add water, softened or melted butter, broth. Pastry Crust: Protein Crepes, or melt butter in an omelette pan, thinly coat bottom with egg and cook until done, or Soy Flour Crust.	whole wheat pastry crust whole wheat tortillas crumb crust: whole grains, ground nuts or seeds	.
Dairy American, Cheddar, Mozzarella or Jack Cheese	nondairy or real dairy.	nondairy cheese	.
condensed milk	Pour 1 cup water and 4 cups soy powder into a large saucepan. Let sit for 2 hours, then bring to a boil and boil for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add (for sweetened condensed milk 2 cups unrefined sugar) 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and 1/4 cup butter stirring until dissolved. Makes 1 quart. Store in refrigerator up to 2 months.
cottage cheese	Mash firm tofu with a fork, add a little heavy cream.
cream cheese	.	nondairy cream cheese
farmers cheese/hoop cheese	.	Mix nondairy cream cheese & roughly mashed tofu.	.
milk	.	nondairy milk	watered down cream, or soy/nut/seed milk
ricotta cheese	.	Same as cottage cheese.	.
yogurt	.	dairy or nondairy sour cream or nondairy yogurt	creme fraiche or clabbered cream
Eggs	Frozen egg substitute tastes great and is healthy. Make sure that you buy one with no additives. Two egg whites for one whole egg, except in cookies. One whole egg and two to three egg whites and you won't notice any difference in the taste.	1/4 cup well mashed tofu for each egg. Soy mayo for regular mayo. .	...
Sauces: Roux Sauces	arrowroot flour or soy flour instead of white or wheat flour	whole grain or arrowroot flour instead of white flour	Add water to heavy cream to sub for milk or half & half.
Tomato Paste, Tomato Sauce, & Tomato Pasta Sauce Add Dried Tomato Paste or sauce at the end of a recipe so the tomatoes don't cook. For a richer flavor add the tomato paste or sauce and let rest for 15 - 30 minutes. Reheat if necessary, taking care not to let it boil. If it's impossible to add the tomatoes at the end use pureed roasted red bell peppers instead as they can be cooked.	.	.. .	Tomato Paste : Soak dried tomatoes in medium hot water for an hour - overnight. Puree using only enough of the soaking liquid to make a thick puree. Tip: For a shorter soaking time dice the tomatoes before adding water. Tomato Sauce: add more liquid. Pasta Sauce:Add broth, cream, olive oil or combo until sauce is desired consistency. (Stir in spices.) Allow flavors to meld for 15 - 30 minutes.
Vegetables	.	.. .	.
carrot	Slow Cooked Tomatoes, yellow or orange bell pepper, fennel, celery	.. .	.
corn	onion, celery, bell pepper	.. .	.
potato	cauliflower, onion, fennel, jicima (yes it can be cooked!)	.. .	.
tomato	red bell pepper, yellow tomatoes (they're less acidic than red tomatoes) or Slow Cooked Tomatoes: place cored tomatoes cut in 8-10 wedges or chunks skin side down on a baking sheet lined with oiled foil. Bake at 115 degrees for 4-8 hours depending on how moist you want them. Check every 60 minutes. Since these take so long to dry I make 2 full trays & freeze the excess.
winter squash	yellow or orange bell pepper, fennel, cauliflower	.. .	.