Food Hacks - Mayo!
Photo credit: Minimalist Baker
Dare I single out the mayo fans out there? I hear lots of you love the creamy spread... enough of you in the USA to spend $2 billion on it a year! I've never been a plain mayo kind of gal (now, spicy mustard? or chipotle mayo? that's a different story), but when I realized that 1 cup of mayo (even the vegan versions!) has 1440 calories, I decided there's gotta be a healthier way to get that creamy mouth feel! 1440 calories is way too many calories in my opinion to waste on mayo when there are so many delicious holiday foods to be eaten. To avoid packing on unwanted pounds, try these swaps in recipes for some major calorie savings (and some probiotics!) without sacrificing flavor:
- 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt + 1/2 cup pureed cottage cheese = 120 calories
- 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt + 1/2 cup mashed avocado + salt = 250 calories
- 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt + 1/2 cup hummus = 300 calories
- 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt + 1/2 cup pesto = 520 calories
- 1/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt + 1/2 cup mayo + 2 Tbsp diced chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce = 795 calories
- 1/2 cup mayo + 1/2 cup mashed avocado = 904 calories
These mayo substitutions work well as dips for raw veggies, as spreads on sandwiches and wraps or as a toppings or sauce on tacos.
Little swaps here and there DO make a difference!
Neither of my kids can eat eggs, so we do buy vegan mayo. At first it was the Follow Your Heart brand, which has a great flavor, more on the tart side... yes, please. But it ended up being too thin and watery to work well as a sandwich spread. Who is going to eat soggy sandwiches at school? Not my kids, that's who. Then I found Just Mayo (affiliate link) and Fabanaise, which are both thick, creamy and de-lish (plus, gluten and soy-free)! So if you are vegetarian, have an egg allergy or just want to try something new, check those out! For a homemade vegan version, Minimalist Baker's recipe does not disappoint.
