As bird flu cases continue to rise in the U.S., heavily impacting egg-laying flocks, so have the prices on cartons of fresh eggs due to dwindling supply.
Egg prices are up nearly 37% from last year due to the highly pathogenic avian influenza, or H5N1, that’s killed millions of chickens.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicted egg prices could rise up to 20% this year due to egg shortages resulting from the outbreak.
Love To Eat cookbook author Nicole Keshishian Modic shared her top egg substitutes with ABC’s Good Morning America.
Ground flax seed: For the equivalent of one egg to use in cooking and baking, combine one tablespoon of ground flax seed meal with three tablespoons of water. Mix and let it sit to thicken for five minutes.
Applesauce: Use 1/4 cup of applesauce in place of one egg.
Chia seeds: To make a chia “egg,” Modic uses one tablespoon of chia seeds, plus three tablespoons of water. Mix and let it sit for five minutes until the texture has achieved a thicker, gooey consistency.
Aquafaba: The liquid from cooked chickpeas has long been used by vegan chefs to create whipped peaks, much like egg whites. Modic suggests using three tablespoons of liquid from a can of garbanzo beans to use in place of one egg in recipes.
Silken tofu: Puree or whip 1/4 cup of silken tofu to replace an egg. According to Modic, “You can even add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda for a lighter texture.” Additionally, for fans of egg scrambles, regular tofu can be crumbled up and sauteed with a dash of salt and teaspoon of turmeric to make a perfectly golden yellow dupe.
Mashed banana: One small banana, mashed until gooey, equals one egg.