Mayo Free Avocado Macaroni Salad

Have you ever created a recipe that you just couldn't wait to share?  This is one of those!

I absolutely love macaroni and/or potato salad, but I know they are not healthiest choices, so I don't make them often...that was until I saw avocado mayo on Pinterest!  At first I thought oh that's a neat idea...then it hit me!!!!  I can make a macaroni salad using avocado may...and so I did!

Mayo Free Avocado Macaroni Salad

Ingredients

1/3 C + 1 Tbsp Avocado Mayo
1 carrot
1 yellow pepper (any color)
3 scallions
3 stalks celery
1/4 box elbow macaroni - prepared and chilled
1-2 tsp mustard powder
shake of paprika

(Be sure to have your elbow macaroni prepared and chilled before putting all the ingredients together.  I made my macaroni in the morning so it would be chilled by lunch.)

First prepare the avocado mayo.  I used a recipe from Rachel at The Traveling Spoon.  This was so simple.  I used my food processor and it just whipped right up into a creamy mayo substitute! 

I used a Bell Freezer Jar since I was planning to freeze what I didn't need.  

Next throw all your vegetables into the food processor - no need to rinse the "bowl," 

I love recipes that I can use one dish to prepare! 

Now is when it all comes together.  Mix the avocado mayo, vegetables and macaroni together.  I started with 1/3C of the avocado mayo but then thought it needed a little bit more.  I would recommend starting with 1/3C, then adding more depending on how you like your macaroni salad.  Add the mustard powder...this again, is based on your flavor preference.  

Shake a little paprika on top and serve! It was amazing!  I was hoping it would be good, but it was better than I could have imagined! 

Has anyone tried making potato salad with avocado mayo? 

Don't forget to check out the Patriotic Link-up Party!  

Some wonderful bloggers have already shared their ways of honoring soldiers and our Nation!  

I can't wait to see what you have to share! 

Check out who I'm linking up with on the sidebar! 

Guinea Pig Bed

For those of you who do not have guinea pigs or other small pets you might think I'm a little crazy...and that's okay, I don't mind!  My piggies love to cuddle and the beds sold in pet stores are expensive for how simple they are!  I recently purchased some fleece at a fabric warehouse with this specific project in mind!

I did some research online to see how others have done this and realized just how simple it is.  (This is a good tutorial.)  This project could be adapted to any size, you could even make it for a cat.  In fact I didn't even measure...oh, maybe at one point I did, but I'll get to that!

I started off by deciding how big I wanted the bed to be.  Since my piggies like to cuddle with each other I wanted it to be a little on the big side and an oval instead of a circle.  

Keep in mind that your initial shape will get smaller once you start sewing - remember seam allowance!

Once I had this shape I made another one out of fleece and I cut a piece of batting.

Then it was onto the sides.  Here's where the quick measuring came in.  I measured the length and width, then doubled each, added them together and had the length my edges needed to be.

I cut the edge pieces about 5" wide.  (Upon completion of the project I'd suggest going smaller!)

Once I had everything cut it was time to sew!

There are neater ways to do this but I simple sewed the bottom pieces together, then the sides and then attached the sides to the bottom.  Next time I make one I will allow more time and take a few extra steps to sew the pieces together in a neater fashion.

The piggies were happy right away, checking out their new bed, especially Cheeky!

As I mentioned earlier though I will make shorter sides next time...after a few hours they folded the sides down and seem to think it's a dining room!

I have tons of fleece so I will be perfecting this bed.  I might even try making fleece tunnels for them...

Check out who I'm linking up with on the sidebar!