I had no idea it was this SIMPLE and EASY to make homemade mayo! It's been on my list to try for years, and I finally did it recently. I won't go back to storebought after this! 1) it's cheaper than good, clean mayo ... and 2) it's legit the best tasting mayo I've ever had!
Homemade Avocado Oil Mayo
- 1 egg
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup pure avocado oil (I love this one: https://amzn.to/3STjl6q)
- 1½ Tbs raw apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (my fam doesn't like lemon 😒 so I've been using the raw ACV instead)
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- salt to taste - I do about 1/4 tsp
Add all of the ingredients into a mason jar. Use an immersion blender (like this one: https://amzn.to/49JzsKO) by putting it all the way to the bottom before turning on, then once you turn it on, pull it upward slowwwwly. It will all magically transform into mayo! It's pretty cool! Blend for a minute or 2 until it thickens up a bit. I keep this in the fridge and try to use it within a week or so. I haven't put it to the test to see how much longer it will last! 😆
Unless you've been living under a rock, you have no doubt heard some buzz about elderberry syrup. So, what’s the deal with elderberries? Elderberries are rich in vitamins A, B and C and have been a traditional cold and flu remedy for literally hundreds of years. They’re known to have high antioxidant activity and the bioflavonoids and other proteins in the juice of the berry can destroy the ability of a virus to infect a cell. Whaaaaat!
I know making your own can sound a bit daunting, but I promise you it's actually really easy! And WAY more cost effective! I love to add essential oils to ours to add an extra dose of amazingness (and flavor) to our elderberry syrup. Here’s the recipe that we've been using for the past few years...
Elderberry Syrup
- 1 cup dried organic elderberries
- 1½ cups organic raw honey (not only is raw honey naturally antimicrobial, which will keep your elderberry syrup fresh for a long time, it also contains far more nutrients since it hasn't been heated)
- 4 cups filtered water
- 7 drops Copaiba Vitality
- 6 drops Orange Vitality
- 3 drops Thieves Vitality
- 1 drop each Frankincense Vitality, Nutmeg Vitality, Cinnamon Bark Vitality, Clove Vitality
Pour the water into a medium saucepan and add the dried elderberries. Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce to a simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour, or until the liquid has reduced by almost half. Then, remove from heat and let it cool enough to be handled. Mash the berries carefully using a spoon or other flat utensil. I like to use a potato masher! Pour through a mesh strainer into a glass jar or bowl and try to press the berries against the strainer to get the most liquid as possible out of them. You could also use some cheesecloth, or bags like these.
Toss the elderberries (or compost them!) and let the liquid cool to lukewarm. When it’s no longer hot, stir in the honey and essential oils. I like to use a whisk to mix it all really well.
When everything is mixed well, pour the syrup into a large mason jar or glass bottle of some kind and store it in the fridge. We all take about a teaspoon daily as a preventative (we don't really measure, haha). To make it easy, I just pour a little into our daily shots of NingXia Red. (Side note: if you haven't learned about the incredible benefits of NingXia, ya need to ASAP. Check out my Instagram highlight where I talk about one of our biggest testimonials HERE.
Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of the essential oils used in this recipe and what they can do for you! Most of these are the essential oil versions of the spices called for in traditional elderberry syrup recipes. Knowing that 1 drop of peppermint oil is equivalent to 26 cups of peppermint tea in potency, it’s easy to see why using oils is a no-brainer!
I highly encourage you to do some research on the benefits of the essential oils and how they help support your immune system. Your mind will be blown! If you have an Essential Oils Pocket Reference, that's a great place to start! ;-)
Keep in mind that there are so many Vitality Oils you could choose from, so feel free to pick and choose which oils you use and how much of each you put in your syrup. This recipe can serve as a guide for you to make it just the way you like it. Too spicy? Add more honey. Too thin? Add more honey. Not enough flavor? Add more oils! It’s pretty much impossible to mess it up. Just tweak it as needed to suit your taste!
I've put together a bundle of my favorite vitality oils for this recipe for you here: elderberry syrup bundle
Do you already take elderberry syrup? Make your own or buy it?
