Healthy mayonnaise (that actually tastes great)

kittenonmars
kittenonmars Posts: 20 Member
So I recently made a dish that's healthy with the exception of yummy... delicious... mayonnaise.
So it got me thinking, is there really no way to make it healthier?

I found a solution and it's really rather simple! :)
Just use ripe avocado! And a blender. I used an immersion blender.

So what I did is I took one big spoon of my favorite mayo, and then chopped up 3 avocados and threw them in. Blended it all together for a while until it was really fluffy. I was extremely impressed how it almost doesn't taste any different from normal mayo. I added a bit of mustard, lemon juice and salt to taste, and there you go! Yummy, but green, mayo!
By comparison, in 100gr of mayo, there are 680 cals. In 100gr of avocado there is about 160 cals. That is a HUGE difference. And it tastes the same to me. So yay!

The only downside is that it doesn't last as long. For me, it took me 3 day to finish the meal(it was a type of salad that I kept in the fridge), and by day two, the mayo had browned a bit, but still tasted good. The oil and lemon juice will help it keep fresh.

But yea, I'm curious, has anyone else done this? And if so, how did you make it and for what? :)
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Replies

  • kittenonmars
    kittenonmars Posts: 20 Member
    edited February 2016
    crazyravr wrote: »
    So pure of avocados is now a mayo? Come on.
    I took a brick of tofu, threw it on the grill and it became a healthier version of beef tenderloin ;)

    I did say I put in normal mayo, and that it tastes the same, did I not? Does it have to be full of oil to be mayo? Technically it still is because it contains eggs, it contains oil, but its just injected with a bunch of avocado :)

    Also, even if one tablespoon isnt enough, you can do half-and-half and it would still be superior in terms of health.

    Are you going to go tell people that their cauliflower pizzas arent real pizzas too?
  • missblondi2u
    missblondi2u Posts: 851 Member
    I've done something similar with ranch dressing. I mash like half an avocado into 2 oz ranch, and it is super yummy!
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,301 Member
    Yours is a good idea. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. The only change I would make would be to halve your quantities so as not to have too much in the fridge. Avocado is full of natural oil in the same group as Olive oil. Together they combine to hold more nutrients.
  • kittenonmars
    kittenonmars Posts: 20 Member
    Fuzzipeg wrote: »
    Yours is a good idea. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. The only change I would make would be to halve your quantities so as not to have too much in the fridge. Avocado is full of natural oil in the same group as Olive oil. Together they combine to hold more nutrients.

    I agree :) I had made a bit too much of the salad(which is why it took me 3 days to finish that meal :p).
    I would also halve them, because its easy enough to make, but tastes best fresh.

    As for olive oil, are you suggesting to add olive oil? because that will probably work too.
  • dklibert
    dklibert Posts: 1,196 Member
    I tried this Greek Mayo and it was really good. Does not taste exactly like mayo but it is a delicious spread, dressing or dip. Would make a great base for other recipes. doctoroz.com/recipe/greek-yogurt-mayo
  • kittenonmars
    kittenonmars Posts: 20 Member
    dklibert wrote: »
    I tried this Greek Mayo and it was really good. Does not taste exactly like mayo but it is a delicious spread, dressing or dip. Would make a great base for other recipes. doctoroz.com/recipe/greek-yogurt-mayo

    Sounds yummy regardless :) I love yoghurt-based sauces/dressings
  • JoshuaMcAllister
    JoshuaMcAllister Posts: 500 Member
    edited February 2016
    So I recently made a dish that's healthy with the exception of yummy... delicious... mayonnaise.
    So it got me thinking, is there really no way to make it healthier?

    I found a solution and it's really rather simple! :)
    Just use ripe avocado! And a blender. I used an immersion blender.

    So what I did is I took one big spoon of my favorite mayo, and then chopped up 3 avocados and threw them in. Blended it all together for a while until it was really fluffy. I was extremely impressed how it almost doesn't taste any different from normal mayo. I added a bit of mustard, lemon juice and salt to taste, and there you go! Yummy, but green, mayo!
    By comparison, in 100gr of mayo, there are 680 cals. In 100gr of avocado there is about 160 cals. That is a HUGE difference. And it tastes the same to me. So yay!

    The only downside is that it doesn't last as long. For me, it took me 3 day to finish the meal(it was a type of salad that I kept in the fridge), and by day two, the mayo had browned a bit, but still tasted good. The oil and lemon juice will help it keep fresh.

    But yea, I'm curious, has anyone else done this? And if so, how did you make it and for what? :)

    Every day! I thought I was alone in this, 1 avocado and 1 tin of tuna. I don't use a processor, for breakfast at work I just unload them into a bowl and mash into a pate. Delicious on rice cakes and a great mix of protein, carbs and fats.
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    crazyravr wrote: »
    So pure of avocados is now a mayo? Come on.
    I took a brick of tofu, threw it on the grill and it became a healthier version of beef tenderloin ;)

    I did say I put in normal mayo, and that it tastes the same, did I not? Does it have to be full of oil to be mayo? Technically it still is because it contains eggs, it contains oil, but its just injected with a bunch of avocado :)

    Also, even if one tablespoon isnt enough, you can do half-and-half and it would still be superior in terms of health.

    Are you going to go tell people that their cauliflower pizzas arent real pizzas too?

    Yes. Because they're not pizza. The toppings can be anything, but the base is bread. If the base is not bread it is not pizza, by definition.

  • SassyNKC
    SassyNKC Posts: 8 Member
    So I recently made a dish that's healthy with the exception of yummy... delicious... mayonnaise.
    So it got me thinking, is there really no way to make it healthier?

    I found a solution and it's really rather simple! :)
    Just use ripe avocado! And a blender. I used an immersion blender.

    So what I did is I took one big spoon of my favorite mayo, and then chopped up 3 avocados and threw them in. Blended it all together for a while until it was really fluffy. I was extremely impressed how it almost doesn't taste any different from normal mayo. I added a bit of mustard, lemon juice and salt to taste, and there you go! Yummy, but green, mayo!
    By comparison, in 100gr of mayo, there are 680 cals. In 100gr of avocado there is about 160 cals. That is a HUGE difference. And it tastes the same to me. So yay!

    The only downside is that it doesn't last as long. For me, it took me 3 day to finish the meal(it was a type of salad that I kept in the fridge), and by day two, the mayo had browned a bit, but still tasted good. The oil and lemon juice will help it keep fresh.

    But yea, I'm curious, has anyone else done this? And if so, how did you make it and for what? :)

    Sounds good. You just need to add some lemon or lime juice to the mix and it will keep your mayo from turning brown.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    crazyravr wrote: »
    So pure of avocados is now a mayo? Come on.
    I took a brick of tofu, threw it on the grill and it became a healthier version of beef tenderloin ;)


    Are you going to go tell people that their cauliflower pizzas arent real pizzas too?

    Yes absolutely. Same way I tell people trying to pass off frozen puréed bananas that those are not ice cream.

    Now I don't like mayo so your puréed avocado idea isn't a bad one if I'm looking for a sandwich spread but it's not automatically better than mayo. It's probably got more calories than 2tbsp of light mayo or whatever people put on their BLTs.
  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
    The difference between avocado and real Mayo is only about 5 calories per gram. Both are high in fat. Neither fat is necessarily better or worse than the other nutritionally.

    Avocado is a delicious addition to a meal and has a similar mouth feel to mayo. Avocado has a very mild flavor. So do many mayos. The health benefit of one over the other is negligible.
  • JoshuaMcAllister
    JoshuaMcAllister Posts: 500 Member
    edited February 2016
    The difference between avocado and real Mayo is only about 5 calories per gram. Both are high in fat. Neither fat is necessarily better or worse than the other nutritionally.

    Avocado is a delicious addition to a meal and has a similar mouth feel to mayo. Avocado has a very mild flavor. So do many mayos. The health benefit of one over the other is negligible.

    Not sure where you are getting your nutritional info from but I don't think you have that right. Per 100 grams, mayo has roughly 60g of fat more, as for calories per gram yes mayo has around 5 per gram but avocado is roughly 1.6 per gram
  • kittenonmars
    kittenonmars Posts: 20 Member
    edited February 2016
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    crazyravr wrote: »
    So pure of avocados is now a mayo? Come on.
    I took a brick of tofu, threw it on the grill and it became a healthier version of beef tenderloin ;)


    Are you going to go tell people that their cauliflower pizzas arent real pizzas too?

    Yes absolutely. Same way I tell people trying to pass off frozen puréed bananas that those are not ice cream.

    Now I don't like mayo so your puréed avocado idea isn't a bad one if I'm looking for a sandwich spread but it's not automatically better than mayo. It's probably got more calories than 2tbsp of light mayo or whatever people put on their BLTs.

    Maybe, but I think we can all assume here that when we use words like "pizza", "mayo" or even "noodles" when they aren't made the traditional way, that we're talking about "food that tastes just like it or close and gives you a similar experience, which we might appreciate when we watch what we eat"... I just think it's a bit insulting to intelligence to wag a finger and nitpick it :p.

    As for spreads, just omit the mayo and use avocado :) I've had normal avocado puree in sandwiches and its absolutely gorgeous. It was with mozzarella and tomatoes.
    If you google avocado and mayo, you will notice that mayo definitely has more calories. It could depends on the brand or whether its homemade and such. But on average its about 600 per 100 gr, while avocado only has 160 per 100 gr.
    Pure oil tends to have about 800-1000 cals per 100 grams, which explains why mayo has so much.

    Edit: Actually the most important thing I wanna say about the nitpick of "but thats not real pizza/mayo/noodle/cake/blah" is that ... why do it? And this is not directed at anyone in particular. Just people in general who do it. We already know. But we're simply enthusiastic about having found something similar that is actually healthy. Its just like telling someone who's drinking almond milk that its not real milk. All it can result in is either mild irritation on their part, or you pretty much putting a downer on something they enjoy. I know you probably dont mean to do that. I am just telling you guys this because its so extremely easy to want to be right on the internet or prove someone wrong... but when it comes to being enthusiastic about eating well, I ask you to please consider containing yourself and joining in on the fun instead :) Or let others have theirs.
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    I like avocado spread and will often use it on a sandwich but the mayo I just don't use any more unless its on a BLT. I switched to using mustard on sandwiches to add some flavor, you get used to it.
  • kittenonmars
    kittenonmars Posts: 20 Member
    rsclause wrote: »
    I like avocado spread and will often use it on a sandwich but the mayo I just don't use any more unless its on a BLT. I switched to using mustard on sandwiches to add some flavor, you get used to it.

    I dont see anything particularly wrong with mayo, given that its not eaten too often.. :) But yes.. avocado is superior!
  • RedMiataAZ
    RedMiataAZ Posts: 65 Member
    One avacodao, serrano pepper and juice of one lime which @SpicyFoods posted a recipe which I made and it was awesome!
  • ladyu
    ladyu Posts: 70 Member
    miracle whip calorie wise.
  • Kimberly_Harper
    Kimberly_Harper Posts: 409 Member
    Great idea! Kind of like the age-old trick of adding shredded zucchini and/or carrots to muffins or brownies to get kids to eat their veggies lol
  • kittenonmars
    kittenonmars Posts: 20 Member
    Great idea! Kind of like the age-old trick of adding shredded zucchini and/or carrots to muffins or brownies to get kids to eat their veggies lol

    indeed! xD
  • Kimberly_Harper
    Kimberly_Harper Posts: 409 Member
    crazyravr wrote: »
    So pure of avocados is now a mayo? Come on.
    I took a brick of tofu, threw it on the grill and it became a healthier version of beef tenderloin ;)

    Who says tofu is healthier than tenderloin??? :D
  • RedMiataAZ
    RedMiataAZ Posts: 65 Member
    One avocado, serrano pepper and juice of one lime which @SpicyFoods posted a recipe which I made and it was awesome!
    . I hate it when I misspell!
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    crazyravr wrote: »
    So pure of avocados is now a mayo? Come on.
    I took a brick of tofu, threw it on the grill and it became a healthier version of beef tenderloin ;)


    Are you going to go tell people that their cauliflower pizzas arent real pizzas too?

    Yes absolutely. Same way I tell people trying to pass off frozen puréed bananas that those are not ice cream.

    Now I don't like mayo so your puréed avocado idea isn't a bad one if I'm looking for a sandwich spread but it's not automatically better than mayo. It's probably got more calories than 2tbsp of light mayo or whatever people put on their BLTs.

    Maybe, but I think we can all assume here that when we use words like "pizza", "mayo" or even "noodles" when they aren't made the traditional way, that we're talking about "food that tastes just like it or close and gives you a similar experience, which we might appreciate when we watch what we eat"... I just think it's a bit insulting to intelligence to wag a finger and nitpick it :p.

    As for spreads, just omit the mayo and use avocado :) I've had normal avocado puree in sandwiches and its absolutely gorgeous. It was with mozzarella and tomatoes.
    If you google avocado and mayo, you will notice that mayo definitely has more calories. It could depends on the brand or whether its homemade and such. But on average its about 600 per 100 gr, while avocado only has 160 per 100 gr.
    Pure oil tends to have about 800-1000 cals per 100 grams, which explains why mayo has so much.

    Edit: Actually the most important thing I wanna say about the nitpick of "but thats not real pizza/mayo/noodle/cake/blah" is that ... why do it? And this is not directed at anyone in particular. Just people in general who do it. We already know. But we're simply enthusiastic about having found something similar that is actually healthy. Its just like telling someone who's drinking almond milk that its not real milk. All it can result in is either mild irritation on their part, or you pretty much putting a downer on something they enjoy. I know you probably dont mean to do that. I am just telling you guys this because its so extremely easy to want to be right on the internet or prove someone wrong... but when it comes to being enthusiastic about eating well, I ask you to please consider containing yourself and joining in on the fun instead :) Or let others have theirs.

    With regards to the calorie count, the mayo may be more calorie dense, but I don't know who eats 100g of mayo at a time. A normal serving size is usually a TBSP, which I think is 13 g, and that runs about 90 cal. For your avocado spread, you used 3 avocados, but how many servings did you get out of it? Again I don't normally eat spreads on my sandwich, but I will occasionally use a wholly guacamole single serving when I make paninis, and that's 100 cals/serving. So pretty similar to what people who use mayo might choose.

    As far as why people feel compelled to point out that cauliflower crust pizza is not the same as regular, or "Nice" cream is not ice cream, etc... For me it's because we see a lot of people on here convinced that these alternatives are inherently better because lower cals or lower carbs or no added sugar or whatever the reason. First, as evidenced by your example, when you are looking at similar serving sizes of mayo vs avocado, there really isn't a huge calorie savings. Not everyone needs to restrict carbs and added sugar is not automatically evil. Understanding that you can fit any food in the context of an overall healthy diet is liberating for many people who were taught to believe that dieting has to be miserable, that you can't continue to eat the foods you love if you want to succeed. So I think many of us like to make sure that you can meet your goals eating pizza, real ice cream, and even mayo if you like it.

    Your avocado spread sounds tasty, so it's great you found something you enjoy and want to share that.
  • instantmartian
    instantmartian Posts: 335 Member
    I agree with many of the other posters - definitely not mayo.

    That being said, this does give me a few great kitchen experiment ideas. My boyfriend hates mayo and Miracle Whip (I prefer the latter), but we both love avocados. This might be a great solution for the two of us. I think I might try whipping something like this up (but I'm thinking of using Greek yogurt instead of mayo) and using it in a tuna salad to see what we each think. Right now, we make two different tunas for salads, wraps, sandwiches, etc. This might just make life a little simpler! Thanks!
  • kittenonmars
    kittenonmars Posts: 20 Member
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    As far as why people feel compelled to point out that cauliflower crust pizza is not the same as regular, or "Nice" cream is not ice cream, etc... For me it's because we see a lot of people on here convinced that these alternatives are inherently better because lower cals or lower carbs or no added sugar or whatever the reason. First, as evidenced by your example, when you are looking at similar serving sizes of mayo vs avocado, there really isn't a huge calorie savings. Not everyone needs to restrict carbs and added sugar is not automatically evil. Understanding that you can fit any food in the context of an overall healthy diet is liberating for many people who were taught to believe that dieting has to be miserable, that you can't continue to eat the foods you love if you want to succeed. So I think many of us like to make sure that you can meet your goals eating pizza, real ice cream, and even mayo if you like it.

    My point is that I don't think anyone is kidding themselves that these things are the same things, so it really just feels like a nagging finger when someone comes along to tell everyone something they already know. I left the recipe up there for anyone to modify and do with as they choose. That means, they can make smaller portions, add seasoning, remove etc.
    As for serving size, you can't really know if people are going to use a lot or not. Some recipes call for quite a bit of mayo, where a lower calorie count is nice(potato salad anyone?). Some people just love the stuff like it was nutella*. Not only that, but mayo itself isn't very healthy. This was a recipe for those who appreciate an alternative that still tastes awesome.
    Again, its a bit insulting to intelligence when you feel the need to state that people can still eat the normal foods. The fact is that people mostly know, and if you feel they don't, then you could perhaps make a thread about it encouraging people rather than stating the obvious.
    For example, I have not yet made any so-called cauliflower pizza. I eat still eat normal, fatty pizza.. I just don't overdo it and have it rarely. Yet I'm not going to go and tell people that they shouldn't call their cauliflower pizza a pizza. Why would I try to shine a negative light on their experiments and meals just because I don't think its pizza?

    I hope you understand where I am coming from and why I think it's annoying.

    Anyway in terms of health, avocado is one of the better veggies with lots of good nutrients in it. Probably more compared to oil(unless you use cold-pressed oil). Doesn't mean people cant eat normal mayo. I didn't mean to discourage anyone from eating the proper stuff(though I doubt it will). Maybe you can just call it mayocado if you don't want to call it mayo xD To me it tasted the same.. so... meow! To me it doesn't matter if its mayo or not. It tastes like mayo so I'm gonna call it mayo...

    I hope you like the spread though! with tomato and mozzarella its absolutely awesome :-3

    * unfortunately I haven't yet come up with a substitute for nutella that uses avocado ._. Working on it though!! ^^ stay tuned!

    ** oh also. A bonus mayo-tip. Mix half (real) mayo with half creme fraiche and top eggs with it. Its like a dream. This is actually a thing. Not very calorie light though lol.
  • kittenonmars
    kittenonmars Posts: 20 Member
    I agree with many of the other posters - definitely not mayo.

    That being said, this does give me a few great kitchen experiment ideas. My boyfriend hates mayo and Miracle Whip (I prefer the latter), but we both love avocados. This might be a great solution for the two of us. I think I might try whipping something like this up (but I'm thinking of using Greek yogurt instead of mayo) and using it in a tuna salad to see what we each think. Right now, we make two different tunas for salads, wraps, sandwiches, etc. This might just make life a little simpler! Thanks!

    Really i just mixed in the mayo because it sort of overpowers the avocado taste making it all taste more or less mayo'y. Adding the mustard and lemon helped too because that how we make mayo in my homecountry. I hope you like your avocado spread though :) I hadn't thought of using it with tuna though, so I'm gonna steal your idea ^^
  • BroBryceHealth
    BroBryceHealth Posts: 5 Member
    This is sort of assuming that mayo in and of itself is unhealthy. Yup, most store-bought mayo is really bad for you, as it uses inflammatory fats, and we all know the real cause of vascular & heart issues is stress & inflammation, not fat or cholesterol which, in an ideal situation, are just doing their job.

    So making real avacado oil mayo is super easy. 1 egg, 3T dijon mustard, 1T vinegar, 1T lemon juice. Mix in a blender or with an immersion blender. Slowly drizzle in 1.5C avacado oil as you blend. Season to taste.

  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    crazyravr wrote: »
    So pure of avocados is now a mayo? Come on.
    I took a brick of tofu, threw it on the grill and it became a healthier version of beef tenderloin ;)

    Lol.

    OP, avocado is great but it's not mayo.
  • Panda_Poptarts
    Panda_Poptarts Posts: 971 Member
    I have no problem just eating the mayo. Lol
  • mjwarbeck
    mjwarbeck Posts: 699 Member
    I just eat a light Mayo...more than ok for the small amounts that I eat at a time. I also have no issues with avocado...love it. But I don't see the need to call it mayo or suggest it as a substitute.
  • kittenonmars
    kittenonmars Posts: 20 Member
    edited February 2016
    mjwarbeck wrote: »
    I just eat a light Mayo...more than ok for the small amounts that I eat at a time. I also have no issues with avocado...love it. But I don't see the need to call it mayo or suggest it as a substitute.

    Because it tastes the same. To me anyway :) I think Ive stated this multiple times.

    Edit: Ok, to satisfy everyone, I have decided to rename the "mayo" to "I-cant-believe-its-not-mayo" :D Win for all!