I understand that butter isn’t vegan, since it comes from milk, but what about margarine? Is it OK?
It depends on the margarine. Most margarines are hydrogenated (made solid at room temperature by “saturating” the molecules with hydrogen). This makes them a heart-unhealthy choice for regular consumption. Most margarines also have small amounts of dairy products added to make them taste more “buttery.” There are a couple of margarine-type products available that are not hydrogenated and don’t contain dairy products. My favorite is Earth Balance. It’s available in the dairy cooler at Sevananda. I use it in any recipe that calls for butter or margarine. It’s a bit salty, however, so keep that in mind before using it. You might want to cut back on any other salt in your recipe.
