Home-made Mayo Oils-Fats and Skinnies of Good Fats

Some time ago, I posted a how-to article for making your own mayo. I have been happy with our results, but I'm always interested in how others go about it. When Sarah Pope, author of The Healthy Home Economist blog, posted a new article on the oils used in Mayo, I read. Sarah is a Chapter Leader for The Weston A. Price Foundation and I have followed her blog often. She is what I admirably consider to be a 'food purist' and better about non-sweets than I or my family, so I have found that I sometimes need to sweeten up her recipes by adding a bit of raw honey or maple syrup. The knowledge I gain from her teaching is very valuable...enough so that I probably should stop right here and just give you the link to the post I read that got me going on this mayo thing.
Well, it's not so much the mayo part I'm in to, it's the fat of the oils used in making home-made mayo that intrigued me...and surprised me because this is important information that has evaded me up until now.
Two years ago, I had no idea there was much difference between canola oil and lard, tallow, olive, or coconut oil, but even with the advancements in my understanding since then, I didn't realize there was a difference between the good fats in regard to weight gain.
Now, this may not be news to you, but to me, it is, so I want to share it pronto.
In a nutshell, although the fats recommended by The Weston A. Price Foundation are all good for us, the fact is, some of them are more likely to make those of us prone to weight gain, well...gain weight.
Which ones? The long-chain fatty acid ones.
Like...(sorry)...Olive Oil.
But coconut oil is a winner as is sesame oil and several others.
For those of you who, like I, may have a thyroid issue, here's another oil that's good for many, but not us...Flax. Apparently, it slipped under my 'radar' regarding goiterogenic foods. I was using it occasionally, but now plan to avoid it.
In the exciting world of good, better and best nutrition, it's easy for some things to go unnoticed or unlearned. At least, for me, that seem to be the case. So, as I come across these little jewels of information, I will try to get them posted...(Haha!...Just for those of you who may be more like me than you care to admit.)
Rather than attempt to reiterate all Sarah's teaching here, I'm going to give you her link. She's well-worth following!
If you get curious and check out her mayo recipe, do understand that most mayo's we've grown up with contain sugar. If you haven't purged yourself and your family from sweetness, or don't plan to, you may want to revise her recipe a tad by adding 1-3 Tbs. of raw honey to the mix.
Also, because I use super-fresh (back-yard) eggs, my mayo never looks white, (the picture in my post is a poor image of the real thing, color-wise.) I thought it would be less yellow, (for my family's sake, not mine), if I made it Sarah's way, rather than my usual way of using only the egg yolks. It was a little less yellow, but not much. So, I say, do it whichever way suits you regarding egg whites and yolks. Also, Sarah's recipe calls for one less egg. I have found I like this better as the end result is not as thick and more like what I grew up with as far as thickness goes.
Here's the link on oils for mayo. And here's the link to my recipe for mayo. (You'll need to scroll down the page a bit to get to the actual recipe.) It uses peanut oil and I'm not sure about the greatness of that yet, except that I did read it was 'quasi-okay' in Nourishing Traditions, and opted for that after finding we weren't real excited about the taste of olive oil in our mayo. I made a new batch of mayo today and opted to use Sunflower and Coconut Oil in equal amounts instead and my husband and I both liked the final result very much. If you read Sarah's post, you'll better understand why I chose these oils.Oh and also, whereas my recipe calls for other sweeteners, I experimented with honey today by adding about 2 Tbs, and as I said, the final outcome was a winner.
For those of you just tripping in here, the big point regarding the oils is to GET AWAY from canola and other oils touted as healthy that really aren't. You can read more about that here.

If you are interested in more sauces and dressings, Sarah gives a great video-blog for several types, including fermented ketchup and thousand island dressing. You may want to try them. When you go to her page, look to the column on the right or use her search feature.

A Favorite Summertime Snack: Oven-fried Kale Crisps!

It may be quite close to the last thing I'd have ever thought I'd put in my mouth, let alone like when I did. Oven-fried kale has blown me away with its 'likeableness', combining the best of melt-in-your-mouth saltiness and crispiness.

When I was first introduced to the concept by a gluten-free mom, I was doubtful...highly doubtful. It is only rarely that I have a taste for kale or any of its cousins, so I have to admit, the only draw about the conversation I was overhearing and then butting into was the fact that I had more kale than I knew what to do with. And then there was her claim that her children loved it. Add that to the video I had watched the week before, as Robyn O'Brien's, (author of "The Unhealthy Truth"), kids ran indoors to a lunch consisting of healthy foods, with bowls of this as one focal point...Well, I figured this was a conversation meriting a good ear.

So, I listened well and the directions were so simple I decided it was worth a go. Especially since I knew in my heart that our excess kale would otherwise be on it's way out the back door to the chickens.

I loved it. My husband loved it. The grandkids? That's a split, but two of the four that I care for are quite young and just starting to try new things. (As a matter of fact, to show how tastes change, one of my grand-daughters who has emphasized repeatedly that she does not like my bread, decided this past week that it is...and I quote..."the best bread in the whole world!") So, I will try the kale with the younger ones at a later date.

I believe most people call these 'Kale Chips', but they aren't really like chips because chips don't melt in your mouth. These do. They are light, not chewy, wonderfully salty...and you can play with flavor combinations at will. If you've been following me, you know how I like recipes that allow room for exploration. Well, this is one of them. I choose to call them 'Kale Crisps' because they are crispy, but not really 'chippy'.

There are many recipes to be found for this oven-fried kale, and I am going to give you the most simple and then some variations.

~Heat Oven to 350 degrees.
~Wash kale well. Pat dry with paper towels. (Idea: This part may be done ahead of time. If you opt to do this, store them in the fridge until you're ready for the next step. Layer between paper towels to keep them dry.)

~For the next step, you have a choice to make. You may not want to eat the middle vein of the crisps when they're done, although I have seen many do so with much gusto. We don't like the chewiness so we just eat around them...sort of like eating around the popsicle stick in a popsicle.  But if you would rather pick up a handful at a time or pop them in your mouth without having to eat around this center, you'll need to take a little extra time beforehand to tear the leaves off the stems on both sides, discarding the stems. You can further tear leaves into bite-sized pieces if you like.

~Now, use your choice of GOOD oil. Canola oil is considered to be 'The Great Con-ola' by The Weston A. Price Foundation. I don't recommend it. I do recommend a good olive oil or better yet, organic, unrefined, coconut oil in it's liquid state. (If your house is cooler, coconut oil will be solid much like vegetable shortening, another item we no longer use. At room temp or a bit above, coconut oil turns liquid.)

~Arrange the kale leaves or pieces on a cookie sheet so you can see how many you'll be using. ~Then, brush both sides with the oil. I used to put my oil in a bowl, then applied to the leaves with a basting brush. Once, I couldn't find my basting brush and rather than take the time for an all-out search, I poured the oil directly onto the cookie sheet, rubbed each side of each leaf in it, and was done. I found that doing it this way made it easier to get into the 'nooks and crannies' of curly kale leaves. I don't bother with the basting brush, (which I did find later), anymore.

~Once your leaves are well oiled, place the cookie sheet in the preheated oven. Cook 7-10 minutes on each side. You may need to go a little longer or shorter, depending on your oven's temperament. What you want to watch for is an olive green-to-brown color. Darker brown is crispier, but it doesn't take long to go from brown to black, so keep a keen eye! After the first side is ready, take out, gently flip over, and bake the other side. 

~When done, I place the leaves on a paper towel to absorb extra oil, but I don't pat them because they are a little fragile now, especially the browner ones. If I am using a good oil, which I am, I don't fret over the fat because it's good fat that helps my body assimilate all the goodness within the food I'm ingesting. It is, itself, nutrient-dense, so it's a win-win situation.
~As soon as possible out of the oven, salt the crisps. Add a little pepper if you like, and get ready to enjoy a truly healthy snack or side dish. But be forewarned, one cookie sheet will most likely not be enough.

~Thinking of Taking an Alternate Route? Read these ideas or come up with your own variations:

Grated Parmesan Cheese dusts the tops-Yummy!

~Add Parmesan Cheese after salting.
~Mix your oil with some quality vinegar-try raw. Explore vinegar varieties, too!
~Play with oil varieties...See "Nourishing Traditions" or the Weston A. Price Foundation for the best choices.

Is this not a new idea for you? Do you make yours differently? Have you heard of other ways to try it? Please leave your comment...Inquiring minds want to know! ;)