Sandwiches + Homemade Mayonnaise

Sandwiches may seem like a silly thing to have recipes for, but they can be an economical way to get lots of great nutrition and satiety, and if you take proper steps to use healthy ingredients you can use food like sandwiches to not only satisfy your hunger but promote rather than inhibit health, which a surprising amount of components do. I was so allergic to gluten I had to go without sandwiches for eleven years of my life, but nobody should ever have to do that. Common wheat, as is oft discussed in my book, causes debilitating stomachaches and massive systemic inflammation in the human body, so foods like sandwiches and pasta can be a direct cause of your gastrointestinal discomfort and metabolic illnesses—yes, even cancer. A fresh chicken breast atop an enormous slab of my my homemade spelt flour sourdough bread will turn these liabilities into a resource, making life and eating enjoyable again while also supporting your efforts to get and stay healthy. One of the other offenders in sandwich making is the mayonnaise, which nowadays is almost all made from crappy soy oil, and eating it is pretty much guaranteed to give you cancer. Grape oil mayonnaise and other varieties, while not as bad, are still bad because of the chemical properties of the oils from which they are made, which are highly susceptible to oxidation in the hot, oxygen rich environment of our bodies. Instead, I have included a recipe for making your own homemade mayonnaise which can also keep in the fridge for quite some time and only requires a blender or food processor, though you can also make it by hand if you must.

HEALTHY MAYONNAISE

1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup coconut oil, preferably refined, room temperature (melted)
1/2 cup good olive oil (affordable stuff is usually cut or counterfeit)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tsp white vinegar

The most important thing when making mayonnaise is that everything be the same (room) temperature, so all your ingredients should be laid out on the counter for 30-60 minutes before starting, especially the egg which, if cold, will fail to produce a mayonnaise. If your kitchen isn’t warm enough for the coconut oil to melt, set it in a bowl of hot water until it is melted before making mayonnaise.

Begin by adding the egg yolk, mustard, and salt to a bowl, blender, or food processor and whisk/mix until combined. Then combine the oils into one container, mix, and slowly begin to add about 1/4 of the oil until it is smooth and combined. Next, add the vinegar and lemon juice and mix until smooth. Now, very, very slowly begin to add the rest of the oil in a tiny, intermittent stream, careful to stop if the oil appears to be resisting incorporation. Keep mixing and once it’s all smooth continue adding the rest of the oil in the same manner. Because this uses coconut oil the mayonnaise will stiffen a little when stored in the fridge, but you can set it out on the counter for 10-20 minutes before use and it will soften up again. This mayonnaise is also more delicious in my opinion than what you can buy in the store.

SANDWICH IDEAS

CHICKEN, LETTUCE, AND TOMATO

2 slices of spelt or einkorn bread
homemade mayonnaise
chicken breast
three or four tomato slices (tip—DO NOT REFRIGERATE TOMATOES)
slices of cheese such as Monterey jack, mozzarella, asiago, etc.
baby greens or lettuce

EGG SANDWICH

2 slices spelt or einkorn bread
2 or 3 pastured eggs
good mustard
homemade mayonaise

Beat then cook the eggs scrambled style. Toast bread then apply mayonnaise, mustard, and pile in the eggs. You can add cheese to this one but don’t overdo it.

GRILLED CHEESE

2 slices of spelt or einkorn bread
many slices of Monterey jack, mozzarella, cheddar, manchego, etc.
Tomato soup (optional)

Butter the outsides of bread and place one in a large pan (do not turn heat on yet—a slow rising heat will help melt the cheese without burning the bread). Assemble cheese in a thick layer over bread, then top with the other slice pre-buttered on the outside. Turn burner to medium, cover with a large lid and cook each side, turning after about five minutes or until bread is crispy and cheese melted. Alternatively this can be made with slices of tomato or ham for a little more interest, but don’t adulterate the classic grilled cheese too much. Really good served with tomato soup.

PESTO CHICKEN

2 slices spelt or einkorn bread
2 tablespoons of homemade pesto (recipe here)
grilled chicken breast
slices of mozzarella