This amazingly simple mayonnaise is good for you for several reasons. One is healthy oil. Most oils are either GMO or hydrogenated. Others are known to be inflammatory to humans (even if organic and cold-pressed). Unhealthy oil can contribute to diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, heart failure, and arthritis.
So what are the good oils? The ones you can count on to be helpful and not harmful are olive, coconut, and avocado. Make sure you cook with the latter two, as olive oil becomes hydrogenated at higher temps.
Finding storebought mayonnaise made exclusively of the “good” oils is getting easier. However, doing it yourself at home will ensure the ingredients are fresh and of the best quality. You will taste the difference. Supremely easy to make, your slow-food mayo will taste better and probably cost significantly less than store-bought specialty mayonnaises.
It takes about 10 minutes to assemble the ingredients for and create this healthy mayonnaise. For a more standard mayonnaise, leave out the smoke flavor and cut the garlic. Add some of your own spices. I often use rosemary from my herb garden. Making your mayo in a small batch, a cup or so at a time, will help you gain confidence in seasoning it.
I’ve often heard and read that getting homemade mayo to thicken is a problem. While weather conditions affect how well mayonnaise will congeal, I’ve found an extra egg will solve the problem. If you want to limit your intake of eggs, you can start out using one – then if it stays liquid after blending, just add the second egg.
Keep in mind, this slow-food mayonnaise does not contain preservatives or additives, nor is the oil hydrogenated to keep it fresh on a shelf. The 8 oz. batch in this recipe and pictured above stays fresh in my fridge up to 2 weeks. The question is, will it even last that long once you and your family taste it?
First, assemble the following:
Ingredients:
8 oz avocado oil
1 capful apple cider vinegar
1/2 t salt – or to taste
1 t garlic powder – or to taste
1/2 capful Wright’s Liquid Smoke, any flavor
1-2 large eggs
Pour the oil into mixing bowl, or a wide-mouthed glass container such as pictured above. Add all the other ingredients. Mix with your favorite high speed mixer, or insert an immersion handheld blender and blend on high speed. In 30-60 seconds, your mayonnaise will go from a clear oil to creamy white. It should also thicken to the consistency of pudding. Target any lingering pools of oil until all is whipped.
Now your easy-peasy, mega-healthy mayonnaise is ready to use or refrigerate.
Once you taste this mayonnaise, you may never use store-bought regularly again. I use it on meats, fish, vegetables, even mixed into a broth for soup.
Many variations are possible with this. So experiment with some of your favorite spices, add sweetener for a dressing for fruits, some horseradish for a great accompaniment to red meat, or add turmeric for a mock Hollandaise sauce.
Be creative, have fun, and bon appetit!
Slow food is the antithesis of fast-food. It is prepared in small batches, with carefully chosen ingredients, by one or two cooks. Fast food is, by necessity, prepared on an assembly line, usually using heavily processed foods and pre-made mixtures which have been frozen, denatured and injected with preservatives (there are a few exceptions). Because of these differences, including its freshness, slow food is generally healthier than fast-food. Though usually enjoyed in the intimacy of one’s home, it may be adapted to larger gatherings. Its preparation will always take more time than processed food with pre-formulated mixes, resulting in superior flavor and health benefits.
Author Danyelle Wolfe Read 