Name: Almond Sunflower Spread
Prep time: 8 min
Ingredients: 1 cup whole almonds; 1 cup sunflower seeds; 1 small carrot (finely grated [optional]); juice of 1 lemon (¼ cup); water; ¼ cup mayonnaise; ½ cup parsley finely chopped; 2 tbsp. tamari sauce; 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1/8 tsp. cayenne; 1 tsp. marjoram

Dips and spreads are hugely popular.

They go well with so many other foods such as sandwiches, vegetable sticks, toasted baguettes, crackers or I even throw a dollop or two in my salads and toss well. For those who like to massage their raw kale first with something like an avocado before making a salad, drip using another dip or spread for variety.

It’s true that nuts and seeds contain protein but we’ve probably done ourselves a disservice with overly simplified messages such as calling legumes or nuts and seeds as “protein”.

Those foods are not concentrated sources of protein like meat, fish, poultry, eggs or dairy are. In fact, legumes (pulses such chickpeas, lentils, dried beans & peas) get 70% or more of their calories from carbohydrate. That’s why they behave more like carbohydrates when it comes to raising blood sugar and insulin release. They are protein-rich plant foods, yes, but they’re really a carbohydrate.

Nuts and seeds are the same. We call them “proteins” and they are grouped into the protein category like legumes in the new Canada’s Food Guide, but they get 70% or so of their calories from fat.

Never the less, they help contribute to your total protein intake but are not protein in and of themselves.

Almonds

One ounce (28 g), or 23 almonds, pack a lot of nutrition in only 165 calories including fiber, 6 g protein, fat, vitamin E (37% of requirements), magnesium, managnese and only 2.5 grams of net carbs, a.k.a. as digestible carbs. In other words, very few carbs to raise your blood sugar and insulin levels.

Sunflower seeds

Like almonds, sunflower seeds are nutrition superstars too. One ounce (28 g) has 163 calories, fat, protein (5.5 g), only 3.5 g net carbs, fiber, vitamin E (37% of requirements), B3, B5, folate, zinc, copper and a decent amount of manganese and selenium.

Is mayo dairy free?

Since dairy foods include milk and foods made from milk (this does not include eggs), most mayo doesn’t contain milk. However, confusion remains about this and mayos are mistaken for dairy foods.

Mayo, homemade or store bought, typically contain egg yolks, lemon juice or vinegar, oil and a mix of spices. This spread is suitable for dairy free folks.