Almondaise (a substitute for mayonnaise and much, much more) Basic recipe: 1/2 cup almonds 1/2 tsp. sea salt (optional) 1/2 cup purified water 1 small sliver garlic (1/8 tsp) 2-3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice 1/2 to 1 cup cold pressed safflower or other Fresh ground pepper to taste light oil. Dash of cayenne Valorie's Favorite with olive oil, cayenne pepper, basil, more garlic, salt and Spike! (See basic recipe below) The original recipe blanches the almonds. Since heat destroys enzymes and nutrition, I soak almonds for 24 hours ideally (this releases enzyme inhibitors and makes the almonds digest more easily) or simply use them without soaking them. I put 1/2 of a dried Habenero pepper in 1 cup of olive oil and let it stand for at least 48 hours. This makes hot pepper flavored olive oil. I use this oil in our almondaise or use plain olive oil and throw in hot peppers to taste. I toss in about 8 fresh basil leaves (or equivalent other herbs), 1 tsp. Spike and 1/2 tsp. salt and 2 to 4 small garlic cloves. Since garlic is anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial, the almondaise with more garlic keeps for 7 days + before going bad and our family likes lots of garlic and cayenne. Place everything except the oil in a blender and blend for a minute or so until the mixture appears creamy with no lumps. If mixture is so thick that there is not a funnel in the center swirling around, add more water until mixture it liquid enough to swirl and blend. Drizzle oil until the oil just sits on top. Stop with this amount of oil even if you have only used 1/2 cup of oil. Should you use up 1 cup of oil and oil is still not sitting on top, put in about 10 more soaked almonds and see if that is enough to thicken, then if not 10 more until mixture is thick. Store in the refrigerator. Keeps 3-5 days so make as much as you will use in a short period of time. Delicious on sandwiches, pita bread, as a dip and believe it of not over hot noodles or rice. Vegans (vegetarians who do not eat meat, fish, poultry or any dairy products): The consistency of this almondaise on pasta makes you think you are eating parmesan cheese. If you have any left over, store it in the refrigerator. Keeps 4 to 7 days, so make as much as you will use in a short period of time. Enjoy! As promised: From Valorie. Love, Doc Ian "Doc" Shillington N.D. 727-738-0554 Doc@AcademyOfNaturalHealing.com Copyright (c) 2004 by Valorie Shillington. All rights reserved.