Mayonnaise. It's one of those condiments that most people  either love or hate. I happen to like mayo for certain things, but I don't like my food swimming in it by any means. We tend to think of it as something that's really not considered a "healthy" option, but does it have to be all that bad? Not really. One tablespoon of mayo generally contains about 90 calories and around 10 grams of fat. Just keep this in mind when thinking of what a serving is. The "mayo lovers" out there can easily triple this amount or more without batting an eye. 

So what's so bad about mayo? Let me tell you. If you're buying it off the grocery store shelf, you can be ingesting hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, and/or added sugars. And so many are made with soybean oil which is not a great choice for health, and is also found in almost every package of processed food out there. These are all things we should be trying to avoid if eating for good health. So let me show you a way to make your own mayonnaise at home that you can feel better about... and it will taste better and so much fresher! 

Ingredients for this recipe:
-1 large egg
-1 cup avocado oil 
-1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
-1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
​-2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar

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This recipe certainly does not call for all the eggs shown in that photo, but I just think it's fun to show how pretty the different colored eggs are from my backyard chickens (that's a whole other blog post on it's own)!  :-)   Anyway, you want to combine all these ingredients into a mason jar that you will use to store the mayo. Blend everything together with an immersion blender... and that's it!!! Creamy, fresh tasting mayonnaise. 

But let me give you a few tips that I find help this recipe come out best. I have made this before and had it come out a bit runny. Things I find helpful to prevent that are, first, use a larger egg rather than a small one. Next, I find it better when I refrigerate the avocado oil before making this. Avocado oil can turn very thick and difficult to pour out if it is in the fridge for a long time, so just leave it in there for a day or so for it to become a bit more viscous. Follow these steps, and you should end up with a great texture and a great taste. 
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This should last in your fridge for about 5-7 days. This works great if you're making any large amount of chicken salad, tuna salad, some kind of coleslaw, or any salad that uses mayo as a base dressing. 
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  Happy New Year! So here we go... new goals, new dreams, new plans.  A clean slate for the next 365 days. Sounds great, right? Sure. Unless you're lacking the one necessary ingredient for that fine recipe. People have all kinds of calculations, complicated diagrams, expensive programs and plans of how they are going to execute their goals for this beautiful year ahead, but if they are missing that one vital piece to the puzzle... it's all a waste. You can forget all of it. A joke. Waste of time. A fancy looking package with a bow on top of an empty box.  A big ZERO. 

   So what is this one fundamental element that we all need if we are ever going to be successful at reaching our goals? DISCIPLINE. Plain and simple. Sorry if this disappoints you, but it is truth.  Everyone wants the quick fix, the magic pill, or that amazing life hack that will eliminate the need for you to actually work for something. That does not exist. You actually have to do the work. You have to put in the time. You have to make it happen. 

    Many people try to rely on motivation to reach their goals. Don't get me wrong, motivation can be great sometimes, but it's not what gets you into the end zone. It's a great start, push forward or a kick in the pants when we need it, but it's not the end of the story. Motivation doesn't last. It is fleeting, fickle, and temporary. If this is all you are counting on to accomplish your goals, you will be let down. You cannot count on motivation, but you CAN  count on discipline. 

    You may think of discipline as your worst enemy. You couldn't be more far from the truth. In all reality, discipline is your greatest friend. It is the core principle that overcomes your excuses, talks back to your laziness, and makes you actually do the things you need to do even when you don't feel like doing them. That's powerful. And that is what we ALL need. People come up with all kinds of ridiculous reasons for why they cannot accomplish their goals. Every single one of them can most likely be answered with discipline. Some people want a long fancy sounding solution for how they can  stop eating junk food every night. I'll tell you the answer right now. STOP EATING JUNK FOOD EVERY NIGHT.  That is done with discipline. How do you get yourself to exercise 3-4 days per week? EXERCISE 3-4 DAYS PER WEEK. Simple, isn't it? I didn't say easy, but it is simple. Discipline is hard. It takes work, and it can be frustrating at times... but NEVER regretted. Even when you're just not "feeling" it... do it anyway. Going through the motions even when you don't feel like it, is what discipline is all about. And when you continue this, you create habits. Habits are life changing. DO IT. 

   You may try to have discipline imposed on you by an outside force... a trainer, a teacher, a coach, etc. That's great and all, but it will only last as long as that person is in your face. SELF-discipline is where it's at. Until we understand that our life is OUR responsibility, then we will never get it. It's up to you. You get it when you decide you want to be better, faster, stronger, smarter, or whatever your end goal is. Don't fear discipline.... fear being stagnant. That's scary. No more just thinking, dreaming, wishing, contemplating, or debating. Just DO. Happy New Year... now get after it!!!

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