05/30/2026
In cooking, there are many different reasons why you might need to substitute ingredients. It might be as simple as trying to use what you already have in your home. Or maybe the grocery store was out (or it was just way, way too expensive these days). Many people look for substitutes in order to accommodate for dietary restrictions, special diets, or for allergies.
Here are a few substitutes or swaps that you may have encountered.
1 egg—>chick pea aquafaba (the liquid in the chick peas). This is a common substitute for vegans.
Sour cream—>Greek yogurt (unflavored)
Butter—>applesauce (best in baking, particularly muffins or dense breads)
Vinegar—>1 part lemon juice to 2 parts white wine
And perhaps my favorite:
According to the internet, though I’ve never actually tried this, you can swap tulip bulbs in place of onions! I have a feeling onions are cheaper than tulip bulbs, and I admit, I don’t know that I’ve ever been in a situation where I did have tulip bulbs and did not have onions, but it’s reassuring to know, if I’m ever in a bind, I have a ready-made solution.
I don’t do well in things like baking sweets or trying to make homemade bread, because, as the saying goes, baking is a science. I am not always the best at getting the ratios correct or mixing just the right way. I tend to prefer cooking to baking, because this is where I can get a little more…experimental. Trying a dash of this or that, preparing a veggie in a new way, trying a tried and true spice from my cabinet on an unlikely and unsuspecting dish—that’s more my speed.
In life, there are many different things we have to get creative and make some substitutions for. In most sports, subs are the best way to keep players fresh and rotated. In school, substitutes give our teachers breaks when they are sick or need to be away from the classroom.
In our spiritual lives, we know, there is no substitute for Jesus.
But the ways in which we pray, how we serve, how we lead—sometimes go through a few different ingredient lists, until we find the right way to feed and nourish our souls.
Prayer is particularly versatile.
Some people pray silently—and others pray out loud.
Some will use silent meditation and allow God to speak into listening ears.
Some will use existing prayers, relying on words that are tried and true, and others will pray with words and sentiments directly from their own heart.
All of these are definitely prayer—but sometimes the ingredients look different. They've been swapped around to make the dish nourish our souls.
Prayer is a beautiful thing. There are so many different recipes, so many variations.
Some people will use a notebook when they pray, journaling and writing down their communications to God.
Some will pray together—with a community of prayer warriors, to help eliminate distractions and remind the believer that we are not alone on this journey.
Some will pray through movement like worshipful dance, and some will pray through singing.
Different ingredients for the same beautiful product.
Like a good recipe for soup or a salad, everyone’s prayer life might look a little different.
Some people think that they aren’t very good at prayer, because they’ve only ever tried one kind. They’ve never swapped up their technique, and tried a new way of talking with God.
How do you prefer to pray?
And have you ever tried something different and out of your comfort zone, like swapping out a tried and true ingredient in cooking?
The results may surprise you.
What are your favorite recipe swaps/substitutions in cooking?
What are your favorite ways to explore prayer?
Join us this Sunday at 10 am in worship. Our United Women in Faith will lead us in worship with the message, “Moving Forward with Unstoppable Joy!”
Rev. Katie
