This Coronavirus seems to be upping people’s creativity in the kitchen! I am using up many different ingredients that I usually freeze, store away for another time or simply discard. So far I have made aquafaba meringues, Chocolate Aquafaba Mousse and a Spicy Aquafaba Vegan Cheese. Aquafaba Ice Cream is next on my list so stay tuned for these recipes! Aquafaba is like a miracle liquid, so magical and versatile!
Are you wondering what the heck aquafaba is? Trust me, I asked the same thing a couple of years ago!
What is aquafaba?
Believe it or not, aquafaba is the liquid in the chickpea can that usually gets poured down the sink. It is the brine that chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are stored in. Its properties allow it to be thickening, gelatinizing, foaming and binding in recipes. So, it’s the perfect cruelty free egg-white for meringues!
We have been using so many cans of chickpeas in our dishes lately that I decided it is high time I stop pouring the liquid down the drain and start using it to make something interesting! I have made this Cashew Mozzarella Cheese in the past and am now using this quarantine time to experiment further!
Why you should use aquafaba instead of egg whites.
Making aquafaba meringues is an egg-free process. That means no yucky egg whites to contend with. Someone once described an egg to me as a chicken’s period and ever since that analogy, I just couldn’t even stomach the thought of eating one.
Egg whites, though they do not contain any cholesterol, (it is all in the yolk) can contain salmonella. Salmonella is a dangerous bacteria that causes more hospitalizations and more deaths than any other foodborne illness.
Consuming eggs has been linked to an increase in occurrences of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. The World Health Organization reports that, “Egg consumption was significantly and positively correlated with mortality from colon and rectal cancers.”
Dr. Michael Greger has an interesting video on how bacteria in our gut can take choline found in eggs and convert it into TMAO. TMAO (Trimethylamine N-oxide) can increase our risk of heart attack, stroke and death. Due to this, studies have shown that eggs may play a role in the development and acceleration of colorectal cancer. Check out his video below.
Here is an article from Harvard Medical School that outlines the role animal products, including eggs, play in raising the levels of TMAO in the blood.
More reasons we shouldn’t eat eggs.
This article from Forks Over Knives, that references PubMed articles, explains the many reasons you may want to rethink eating any part of an egg. Egg whites are a very concentrated source of animal protein that help grow a baby chick. Most North Americans get far more protein than they need, so adding a concentrated source of it to the diet can increase the risk for kidney disease, kidney stones, and some types of cancer.
Also, egg whites contain a large concentration of a protein called avidin. Avidin prevents the absorption of biotin when eggs are eaten raw. Though rare, this can cause biotin deficiency when too many raw eggs are eaten.
Interesting Curriculum offerings for all ages during the pandemic
Using aquafaba from a chickpea can to make meringues instead of eggs is unbelievably easy and a kind gesture to hens who spend their lives confined to tiny cages in filthy, crowded barns.
Making meringues is fun, impossible to mess up, and would be super to do with young kids. This could be a perfect project for those of you homeschooling your children. I feel for you. I’ve been there and I know it is not easy!
You could pair making vegan meringues with free virtual programming from FarmSanctuary.org. They are offering free online classes for all grades on topics such as animal kindness and the environmental impacts of our food system through their Sustainable Future Curriculum. Just click here for a link. From what I can see they are offering programs each day of the week.
How to make meringues with aquafaba
This recipe has only 4 ingredients, ones that you likely have in your pantry right now. You just need either an electric hand mixer or a free standing mixer and about 15 minutes.
You simply beat the ingredients and look what you get?! It’s astounding! No one would ever know the difference. They cook up like regular meringues, stay the proper consistency and last in a container! You can even freeze them.
A regular meringue recipe that would cover one pie consists of 4 eggs whites. This aquafaba recipe contains 0 egg whites and only the liquid from one can of chickpeas!
Aquafaba wins out on so many levels. Health, environment, animal compassion and ease! So, open a can of chickpeas and get busy! Aquafaba freezes well too so you can save it up even when you can’t use it immediately. You can’t say that about eggs…
The amount of liquid from a chickpea can will range from 2/3 to 3/4 of a cup. It’s crazy how much whipping less than a cup of aquafaba can create! Check out these photos!
There are at least 60 small meringues on these baking sheets. As you can see a 3/4 cup portion of aquafaba makes a LOT!
I did a little experimenting using sugar vs sugarless meringues… It is easy to whip up the aquafaba without sugar and it will hold its shape. You could add in different ingredients at this point to use as a base for mayonnaise. I plan to experiment with that too one day… HOWEVER, I found out if you try to bake meringues that do not contain sugar, they ends up as a puddle of liquid that does not taste good! Notice the top right hand corner where the no sugar added tray is… Not so good.
Aquafaba Meringue Recipe!
These little treats just take moments to whip up. They do take longer to bake. Bake them on low heat for about an hour and a half.
This Chocolate Aquafaba Mousse recipe is coming to you next! Get ready for delicious!
Please share your comments if you make them! Happy social distancing.
www.thevibrantveggie.com
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