Careful with margarine - unless it's specifically vegan margarine (like Earth Balance), it's actually not vegan; it contains whey!

I like to use nuts to make creamy vegan soups and sauces. They add protein and flavor, too! I could write a cookbook on this method. I'm a nut nut! Here are a couple of examples, but I've got so many. Different nuts add different flavors, and seem to go well with different beans and vegetables.

I make one soup - based on the white soup that Jane Austen describes as necessary for a ball at Netherfield, which has almonds, cauliflower and white beans. Pale and silky, and cream-free! I've read that traditionally it was garnished with pistachios and pomegranate seeds, which makes it pretty as well as tasty.

I like using ground flax simmered with water as follows for an egg substitute in baked goods:

1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
2 -3 tablespoons water

Simmer flax seeds and water in a saucepan for about 5 minutes (or less or more time depending on the amount you are making) or until thick, egg-like consistency has been reached.

This recipe makes 1 eggs worth, but it can be easily made into a larger quantity using the 1:3 ratio- for example, 1 cup ground flax seeds and 3 cups water (that would make 16 eggs worth) and will keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks.

Use about 1/4 cup (which is equal to 4Tbs) egg substitute for every egg.

When I use flax meal to make an egg substitute, I don't cook it. I just mix 1 part flax to 3 parts water/liquid. It gets pretty gelatinous after about 10 minutes just sitting on the counter. It works very well when baking.

Instead of cane sugar, I use agave nectar and/or maple syrup. Agave is 3x sweeter than sugar, so you can use much less of it. However, it won't crystallize like most sugars do, and you'll need to mix it with maple syrup to make that happen.

I pretty much use olive oil instead of butter in all baking except when making pie shells. It just doesn't work there. I haven't been able to use margarine without disastrous results. It's easier to make a vegan crumble using a tiny bit of oil and maple syrup added to dry ingredients.

Claire,
I had a "raw vegan caesar dressing" made from pine nuts and cashews last night (and a bunch of other stuff). it was SO FREAKING GOOD. even my meat-eating husband liked it as well as normal caesar dressing. mmmm
http://viveleveganrecipes.blogspot.com/2007/10/living-caesar-salad.html#!/2007/10/living-caesar-salad.html

@AlisonCMC: Thanks, I corrected the wording of that section.

Our Substitutions app has a Vegan category. Read thekitchn.com review here:

http://www.thekitchn.com/substitutions-a-handy-kitchen-146525

Flaxseed mixed with water is my go-to egg replacement method for up to 2-3 eggs. I don't cook it--just mix, as others said, 1 part flaxseed to 3 parts water. It works so much better than banana or applesauce! I'll have to try the agar agar for the egg whites tho ... Also, silken tofu works well in some recipes. I made a brownie recipe from Vegan Cookies Invade your Cookie Jar, and they were amazing! Though I don't know what the exact replacement is.

GG_MS, that sounds delicious! It's hard finding even a good vegetarian version of caesar dressing, strangely, though it should be fairly simple to put together.

There's a vegan restaurant near here that serves smoked cashew ricotta. It's amazing!

@DEBSCHIFF1 Have you tried Isa Chandra Moskowitz/Terry Hope Romero's olive oil crust recipes? Here is one of them: http://www.theppk.com/2011/02/berry-creme-tart-with-cocoa-olive-oil-crust/. I think there are others in their Vegan Pie in the Sky book. They are supposed to be pretty great!

Agree on flax seed--it a good binder. Banana or applesauce give moistness and flavor but no binding quality. However, there are times you don't really need the binding quality much, such as when making a quick bread, and the flavor from the fruit is preferable then. I throw ground flax seed into black bean burgers to help the mixture stick together. I don't even soak it--it works with the moistness of the other ingredients (beans, tomato paste, diced onion).

Thanks for this! I'm a Betty Crocker die hard, but vegetarian (and experimenting with vegan food). Can't wait to dive into Betty Goes Vegan.

I prefer the flax sub too.

you can also substitute applesauce for oil in baked goods. You would use the same amount of applesauce as you would oil. I love doing this not only is it healthier but the cakes come out very moist.

I took an experimental foods class in college and we had to conduct an experiment. I chose to measure the acceptability of various egg replacers in brownies. Surprisingly a 1 for 1 replacement of silken tofu was rated the highest and we had over 150 participants in the blind taste test. For every egg (about 50 g) we replaced it with 1/4 cup of silken tofu (about 50 g) that we had blended to make homogenous. It doesn't require any special treatment other than you would the original egg.

I will say that the brownies made with a 100% tofu replacement were much more fudgy and more thin than our control but if you're into that kind of thing I highly recommend using silken tofu. Tasters didn't notice any significant change!

I know this isn't baking related, but I usually replace cheese with avocados. Vegan cheese is gross, in my opinion, and none of it is even remotely healthy. Some mashed or diced avocados sprinkled with salt will add creaminess and omegas.

I just want to point out that these are great substitutions in general if you don't have certain items. I can't tell you how many times I've been out of eggs and it has been late at night (or I've been too lazy to go out to just buy them) and I've had bananas. Vegan or not, sometimes substitutions are needed to compensate for the lack of ingredients.

Coconut oil works well as a substitute to butter as if can easily be solid or liquid. It's my go to butter substitute.

I've also used avocado and coconut oil to replace butter in baking recipes. I fine that ground flax is the perfetto substitute for egg whites...I mix 1 tsp. with 3 tbsp. of warm water.

we've started using sucanat in place of sugar. it is much healthier. but some does contain honey, so read the label carefully.

Chia seeds can also be used in place of flax to substitute egg.

I also like using flax egg. Does anyone here use Ener-G egg replacer? Curious as to how that works out.

Banana is good too, but only if you're OK with it (obviously) giving whatever you are baking a distinct banana flavor.

I have used ener-g egg replacer when my son was egg allergic, worked fine. I also use the flax. I did find a recipe to make meringue cookies with ener-g egg replacer and it was fantastic....
http://www.picklesnhoney.com/2012/02/21/mint-chocolate-chip-meringue-cookies/
definatly a reason to buy the ener-g replacer!
Served them up an no one would have guessed they were not egg.

Coconut oil makes a great substitute for butter. Melt before using in cakes and muffins, but leave solid for pie crust. I've found that hemp milk performs better than soy in gluten free, vegan baking.
Just have to say that 1 tablespoon of applesauce would definitely NOT be sufficient to replace 1 egg in any recipe. A better way: 1/4 cup applesauce + additional oil to equal 1/3 cup AND add additional leavening.
One of my favorite ways to replace an egg in recipes is with tapioca gel. Combine and heat in a microwave safe cup for 30 seconds at full power:
1 teaspoon tapioca starch
1/3 cup water
Stir. Heat for an additional 10 seconds. Let gel cool before using. Feels just like an egg. I’ve used this tapioca gel in vegan gf pizza crust and naan. Absolutely love it!

Tofu is an awesome egg replacer for cakes, muffins, and cookies. Simply replace each egg with 3 tablespoons of blended soft silken tofu (Mori-Nu - aseptic packaging is key).