Picnic Salad Recipes Without the Hydrogenated Oils

The warmer weather is finally breaking through and it is making me anxious for our family's favorite warm weather past-time --- PICNICS! We love packing up a lunch or dinner and playing at the park, hiking in the woods or climbing through rock beds for family time. Classic picnic foods for many people always include salads - chicken salad, potato salad, broccoli salad, etc... But the main ingredient in all of those salads is the devilish mayonnaise (no pun intended)!

The vast majority of conventional mayonnaise contain hydrogenated and genetically modified vegetable or soybean oils. These oils have gone through a chemical process that changes them from a liquid to a solid and contain trans fat, lower your good cholesterol and raise your bad. They are one of the most recommended items to avoid at all costs on any ingredient label.

To read my blog on hydrogenated oils in peanut butter, click here.

I have been trying different homemade mayonnaise recipes for a couple of years now and it's been a love-hate trial period, but I have finally found my most dependable recipe - and this says a lot coming from someone who actually used to hate mayonnaise! Below is my mayo and some picnic friendly salads recipes - here's to warmer weather and great family picnics!

Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 hard boiled egg
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tablespoon mustard
1-2 tablespoon raw almonds

Place all ingredients into a food processor (we use a Vitamix) and blend until almonds are all mixed in. Add more almonds to thicken, but the mixture will thicken in refrigerator after about 15 minutes.

Buffalo Chicken Salad with Homemade Almond Crackers

Buffalo Chicken Salad
Free-ranged organic chicken breast (boiled in water until cooked through, cooled off and pulled)
Homemade Mayonnaise (recipe above)
Hot Sauce
Sliced celery
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and place in refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.

Broccoli & Carrot Salad
Bag of organic sliced broccoli and carrot salad
Homemade Mayonnaise (recipe above)
Raw sunflower seeds
Organic raisins (no sugar added)
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and place in refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.

Red Dill Potato Salad
Red potatoes  (cooked, cooled and cut in quarters)
Homemade Mayonnaise (recipe above)
Dill
Red onions, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
** optional** 1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

Mix all ingredients together and place in refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.