Can you substitute for Mayonnaise? YES!

A friend told me once that you can substitute Mayonnaise for yogurt.  I was very skeptical and just pushed the idea to the side.  Although, today my husband received a bit of a knee injury during his morning run so I wanted to  increase his protein in his meals today.  When training, if you have sore muscles or injury it sometime is caused by micro-tears in the muscle tissue and/or the tendons.  So he will rest today and tomorrow, stretch, and give his body the nutrients it needs to build and repair.

For his lunch I made a Waldorf salad, carrots, almonds, and red grapes.  I rarely eat mayonnaise and  have come to dislike the taste.  I made his sandwich as normal, but before adding the mayo I took half the chicken mixture and tried the yogurt instead.   I was shockingly surprised.  The chicken salad was creamy, tasted amazing and had a slight zing from the yogurt.  This was a wonderful find that I can substitute the high calorie and oily mayo.  Can I substitute for egg-salad or potato-salad?  Not sure but now excited to try! The bread is a new find for me as well.

I love bread.  We usually switch up our breads between whole grains and wheat.  I enjoy making my bread as well, but can never get the sandwich bread feel and lightness.  So I picked up an Organic Sprouted wheat bread at Costco.  I have read that the grains are still whole and soaked so that the grains start to sprout.  In this germination the grains contain life and growth.  Now that sounds like something I want to put into my body.  When we eat we should be looking to foods that give us life, instead of over processed foods.  We should eat from the source while they hold their life giving quality to them.  I found that these grains, sprouted, are easier on the digestion.  They have a wonderful texture and a sweet nutty taste.  Over all a wonderful new bread that the family has really enjoyed.

Facts about Sprouted Wheat bread

• provides more protein
• the germination increases the absorption of vitamins and capture proteins and carbohydrates in enhanced states
• during germination the grain contains its densest nutrient value of A, B and C
• germination releases iron, potassium and calcium; and increases protein levels
• sprouted enzymes break down gluten and other difficult-to-digest wheat components, aiding digestion and those sensitive to gluten. 

Read more on Sprouted Grain Breads. 
Benefits of Sprouted Bread
Food for Life

Waldorf-salad Sandwich (with yogurt) recipe

• 4 ounces chopped chicken  
•  10 red grapes
• 5 sliced baby carrots
• 4 green onion, sliced
• 2 tbsp vanilla yogurt

with yogurt, creamy delicious

with mayo

 
 The Waldorf-salad with yogurt added calcium and probiotics to aid digestion.  The mayo added high calories, oil, and fat.  I also felt the taste of mayo abrasive to the yogurts smoother flavor.  Hands down the yogurt was a better flavor and choice, I am sold!  Yogurt does a great job replacing mayo with chicken, we will see about eggs. 

Kids Corner

My kids were a little skeptical about the texture of the bread.  They could feel the seeds and grains in the bread.  So we tried with peanut butter and talked about why this bread was better.  I told them about the grains in the bread containing life and energy and was providing them with the energy to think and play.  We talked about how it was different and to continue to give it a try.  The second time around still was strange to them, but said that it was not as bad.  Kids really appreciate and understand when you can talk on their level.  Even my children can be stubborn and picky.  Just try to stay patient while introducing it and they will come around.  The kids also preferred the yogurt mixture to mayo taste!