Leafing through an old school Fannie Farmer Cookbook last weekend, I was hunting for an inspirational, light dish to bring for a gathering.

The Waldorf salad caught my eye, but called for store-bought mayo and a few different seasonings, so I twisted it (of course) and made it my own!

Basically, it involves:

Apples, celery, onion & walnuts

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Homemade mayonnaise, lemon & a few seasonings

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Fireworks of sweet, sour, salty and crunchy on the tastebuds!

It goes well as a side dish, but adding chicken to the mix and throwing it on a bed of greens makes a perfect lunch as well!

Below is my twisted concoction, and don’t be intimidated by the homemade mayonnaise! I was floored when I made it for the first time – it takes minutes and is such a healthier version than the store-bought, processed version full of preservatives.

Homemade Waldorf Salad

Ingredients

1/2 lemon, juiced
1 c homemade mayonnaise (add more/less as needed; see below for recipe)
1 green apple
2 red apples
5 large celery stalks, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 c walnuts, crushed
1/8 tsp garlic powder
Sea salt + pepper
Optional: honey, cranberries, or raisins for added sweetness!

Homemade Mayonnaise

3 eggs
1/4 c lemon juice
1 1/4 tsp mustard
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 3/4 c olive oil

Instructions

For Mayo:
Add eggs, lemon juice, mustard and salt to blender. Continue blending, take off the blender top, and SLOWLY add olive oil in a steady stream until it thickens! Store in refrigerator for 2-4 weeks.

For Waldorf Salad:
Chop ingredients and add to a large bowl. Stir in liquid ingredients (including mayo after making it!) and seasonings, and serve on a bed of greens!

Any feedback!? I’d love to hear in the comments below!