There was a time when our daughter's health condition required we eat very different than most Americans.  Items at the grocery stores that were in a box, can or jar were off limits to us because of added ingredients, preservatives, over-processed oils, dyes, and items that had been grown with a heavy load of pesticides.  This describes just about everything in the center aisles of most grocery stores. 

 

This brought us quite a few challenges!  It is amazing what can be done when we are forced to be creative.  For a period of time we made many things at home including ketchup (I'll save that for another day) and mayonnaise. 

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This simple recipe makes for a MUCH healthier alternative so you can eat all you want without the guilt.  Your body will thank you.

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I used a combination of olive oil, grapeseed oil and sometimes avocado oil.  You can use any of all of these as you wish.  Sunflower oil is high in omega 6, but our bodies need both omega 6 and omega 3.  There is a lot of hype around omega 3 and that is probably because the typical American diet is so low in them.  But if you are eating a diet high in omega 3 (cod liver oil, flax and fish, for example) then there isn't a reason to be concerned about consuming the additional omega 6 found in sunflower oil.

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Ingredients:

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2 whole (pasture raised) eggs 

2 egg yolks

2 tsp. dijon mustard

3 Tb lemon or lime juice

2 Tb. raw whey (this is optional)**

1.5 - 2 c. oil (as discussed above)

1/2 tsp. Celtic Sea Salt

a pinch of ground pepper

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Directions:

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You will need an immersion blender to do this step.  Add all the ingredients to a large cup or mason jar in the order listed above.  It is as simple as using the immersion blender with gentle up and down movements as you blend everything together.  When it is well mixed and looking creamy it is finished.

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If whey was used, make sure there is at least 1-inch of space at the top of the jar and leave the jar out to sit on the counter (with the lid on) for 7-10 hours before refrigerating.  Store in the refrigerator after that.  The mayo will thicken slightly during refrigeration, even more if the whey was used.  Without the whey it will keep for about 2 weeks.  With whey included it will keep for several months.

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** If you aren't familiar with working with whey, it is an excellent cultured food which is good for the immune system.  Whey is often called for as a culture starter in foods like lacto-fermented veggies, beverages and even some grains.  To obtain whey, you can strain yogurt, kefir, cultured buttermilk, clabbered raw milk and even some cheeses by letting them sit in cheese cloth and letting the liquid slowly drip into a cup below.

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Whey is full of the beneficial bacteria and enzymes found in cultured dairy products.  But using whey as a starter, the ferment is inoculated with the specific cultures in the whey.  Straining whey is very easy.  The main objective is to remove any dairy solids from the liquid whey so that the whey isn't as perishable.  This is what helps keep this mayonnaise lasting a long time and what makes it such a healthy thing for the gut.

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Who knew you could improve your gut health and immune system by eating more mayo!?

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