Vegan Ranch Dressing - Paleo Friendly

I can't tell you how many times I failed at making vegan mayo this week. To be honest I lost count but I know it has to be close to a dozen times. It's been frustrating since this is one of our favorite condiments and my normal store bought vegan mayo is not allowed on a Paleo or Whole30 diet. At least all of my failed attempts at mayo have been able to be used for something. I altered this ranch dressing recipe to use my failed attempts to make a thin and runnier ranch dressing. It works well for salad or a small cup to dip but if you want a thick dip, you'll need to succeed on your mayo making! Once you succeed on your mayo making, maybe you can teach me your tricks and tips!

Ranch Dressing
Makes two of these condiment bottles

1 recipe of this vegan mayo (For thick ranch, make sure you reach mayo consistency. For thin ranch, blend the mayo so it has a milky color but does not thicken much if at all.)
1 can (14 oz) full fat coconut milk
1.5 tbls dried parsley
3/4 tsp dried dill weed
3/4 tsp garlic salt
3/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions: Make mayo recipe as directed for a thick ranch or until oil is creamy but still liquid for a thin ranch, set aside. In a medium sized mixing bowl, place canned coconut milk, parsley, dill weed, garlic salt, onion powder, basil and pepper. Mix with a fork until smooth and creamy, especially if coconut milk separated while on the shelf. Add prepared mayo to the coconut mixture and gently mix with a fork until well blended. Be very careful not to over mix if you've chosen the thick mayo option. Pour into condiment bottles and place in the refrigerator. Mixture should thicken a bit more in the fridge and is best served after at least a few hours in the refrigerator.

Vegan Mayo - Paleo Friendly

I've been trying to make vegan mayo for about a week. I've also failed about a dozen times. Trust me, I've tried multiple methods, recipes, and every blender I have in the house plus one from my mother-in-law (Ninja prep, Cusinart food processor, mini food chopper and immersion blender). I even ruined a shirt this week spraying oil all over my shirt thanks to one immersion blender attempt. I've taken lots of advice from a good friend who makes homemade Paleo mayo and it was her tip that I think finally did the trick! I found a decent basic vegan mayo recipe but it had a strong lemon and sour flavor so I adjusted the recipe, added a few ingredients and ended up with this! With this recipe, the method is as important as the ingredients so pay attention to both!

Vegan Mayo
Makes about 1.5 cups

1 tbls ground flax seed
3 tbls water
1/2 tbls lemon juice
1/2 tbls raw apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp dry ground mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 cup light tasting olive oil or another good tasting oil

Method:
In a small bowl, mix together ground flax seed and water, set aside. Using a food processor (trust me I tried everything else), place the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, dry ground mustard, salt, garlic powder and 1/4 cup of the olive oil into the food processor bowl. Do NOT blend yet. Use a liquid measuring cup to measure out the remaining 3/4 cup of olive oil and set near the food processor but do NOT pour in yet. Once ground flax seed and water have created a gel type consistency, place flax seed mixture into the food processor bowl with the other ingredients. Use a food processor lid that contains a shaft. (Note: My food processor has a regular lid with a hole in the middle and a lid with a shaft. Pouring oil down the hole in the middle did not work for me.) Turn food processor on and slowly pour the 3/4 cup of oil through the shaft hole. Mixture should gradually become a mayo consistency. After oil has been poured and mixture reaches mayo consistency, stop processor immediately. Over mixing will break the consistency and cause you to have a liquid mess again. Place mayo in a glass container and keep in the refrigerator. This mayo seems to hold it's consistency best after being in the refrigerator for at least a few hours before serving.