Raw Vegan Macadamia Nut Mayonnaise

Do you know the feeling when you try to make something for the first time and it turns wonderful? This is how I felt when I first tasted my new creation - raw, vegan macadamia mayonnaise. 

My mother never bought mayonnaise in a store. She always made her own raw mayonnaise and I will share the recipe at a later point for those of you who do not mind eating eggs. This ancient recipe, however, does not work without egg yolks.

People with food allergies or those with different nutritional preferences - vegan, paleo, raw foodies - learned to replace their favorite foods with alternative creations or simply give up what they used to eat before they embarked on their new lifestyles.

Macadamia nut mayonnaise - raw and vegan

In this recipe I used raw macadamia nuts, but you can also take cashews. However, cashew nuts are not always really raw. Most of the time heat is used to extract the nut. The label "raw" in this case indicates that the nuts have not been roasted. 

Remember to soak the nuts over night to remove the enzyme inhibitors and other substances that make nuts difficult to digest ( phytates - phytic acid; polyphenols - tannins; and goitrogens.)

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup raw pre-soaked macadamia nuts
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 5 Tbsp virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp Bragg's apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp unprocessed sea salt
  • 1 tsp dried Italian herbs (thyme, oregano, marjoram, basil)
  • 1/2 tsp mustard seed powder (optional)

Method:
  • Place all the ingredients in a food processor or a high speed blender and process until you receive creamy mayonnaise. 
  • Add a little bit more oil or spices if necessary. Blend again.
  • Transfer your mayonnaise into a clean jar, close the lid and store in the fridge.
The texture of your mayonnaise may be slightly coarse, but the taste depends on the amount of herbs you have added. If you want your mayonnaise to be a bit more intense, add some cayenne pepper. 

Make small batches to ensure freshness. Enjoy without guilt on sandwiches, with raw burgers, or as a dip. You can also sneak it into non-vegan sandwiches and bring it over to a grill party. If you made it right, no one will even notice the difference.

In radiant health - passionately raw - Dominique

Dominique Allmon©2013

P.S. You can use this mayonnaise as a base to make horse radish sauce. Simply add 1 Tbsp grated, raw horse radish. Mix. Ready!