It can be frustrating when a recipe calls for an ingredient that you can’t have, isn’t (yet) available at your supermarket or you simply haven’t got at home when you get really want to cook up a storm in the kitchen. In the Swap This For That (“STFT”) series, we are applying some easy hacks to fill that void.

Today, at a time when supermarket shelves can be devoid of all egg products, let’s take a look at how you could replace an egg with something you might find in your pantry – chia seeds or flaxseeds.

Chia egg

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 3 tbsp water

Instructions

1. Grind the chia seeds either with a food processor or by hand with a mortar and pestle.
2. Mix the water and ground chia seed meal and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. You’ll know when it’s done its thing when it starts to take on the consistency of an egg white.

Flax egg

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp flaxseeds
• 3 tbsp water

Instructions

1. Grind the flaxseeds either with a food processor or by hand with a mortar and pestle.
2. Mix the water and ground chia seed meal and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. You’ll know when it’s done its thing when it starts to take on the consistency of an egg white.

Other substitutes

• 60ml applesauce
• 1/2 banana