Don’t give Up Because of Missing Ingredients
Hey! Before you head out the door for that one ingredient - or give up on making what you fancied for lunch because you don’t have all the right stuff…
…read this!
What do you fancy?
You are browsing the internet for recipe ideas - but you feel a bit deflated because some of them list a whole ton of ingredients. And none of them cover exactly what you have!
I’m here to tell you to not give up on a recipe even if you’re missing a couple of things. The question comes down to: what do you fancy? If you have the main ingredients, let’s say for example a selection of vegetables and you have some sauces and spices in your cupboard, you’re probably going to do quite well, with a bit of creativity!
How important is that one ingredient: does it physically bind it all together, like an egg? Okay, then maybe find an alternative - like chickpea water, honey or similar. Does it have a really distinct flavour that will make a huge difference to the dish, like soy sauce? Well, maybe a mix of other sauces, like fish sauce, Worcestershire sauce and some vinegar might make it taste really nice! It really depends on the dish you are making and your preferences. But for almost every ingredient out there, you can find a substitute - or work one out yourself by using common sense. I’m the queen of googling “_____ (insert ingredient here) substitute” and there are so many great suggestions out there.
Here are some of my favourite quick substitutes for ingredients that often come up in recipes:
Soy sauce - Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, red wine vinegar, balsamic sauce (a mix of the latter three is really nice!)
Cornstarch - wheat flour, potato starch, flaxseeds
Sour cream - natural yoghurt, greek yoghurt, creme fraiche
Buttermilk - mix two tablespoons of vinegar with regular milk!
Besides alternatives, I would just like to encourage you to create the simplest versions of recipes too. You can honestly make a version that works for you even if you have 2 out of 5 ingredients. Or even just one! Like my guacamole recipe this week shows, if you have a ripe avocado, hey - you’ve got guacamole! Sure, making a lovely creamy one with a dash of creme fraiche, spicing it up with red onion and coriander (cilantro) and that gorgeous splash of lime is wonderful, however - as a simple dip or topping, just a well blended avocado and a bit of salt and pepper is super delicious! Whatever you do, don’t let that avocado go to waste because of a lack of extra ingredients.
If you ever see one of my recipes and wonder how you can make it even if you’re missing one or more ingredients, ask me! I’d be so happy to find a creative way for you to still make it. What are some of your favourite substitutes? What ingredient are you just fine without even though it keeps showing up in recipes? Share your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram and tag me @TheFromScratchBody and use the hashtag #TheFromScratchBody so I don’t miss it!
