Tzatziki is a lovely cucumber yogurt sauce used in Greek cuisine. They serve it with grilled meats, vegetables. gyros, falafel and with warm pita bread for dipping, You can also use it as a salad dressing (maybe add a splash of vinegar), on a baked potato or as a substitute for mayonnaise.
I love to smother tzatziki sauce onto a bowl of chopped lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes. Add two falafel patties on the side drenched in tahini sauce and oh boy it ever good.
Recipe – Approx. 2 Cups
- 12 oz. Greek plain Yogurt (has to be Greek due to less water)
- 1 Cucumber
- 1 Tablespoons Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
- 1 Cloves Garlic
- 1 1/2 Teaspoon Fresh Dill or Mint or both (optional)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt – or to taste
- Dash of Black Pepper
Instructions:
Peel the cucumber, cut in half and scrap out the seed with a spoon, then shred by hand or in the food processor using the shred attachment.
Spread the cucumber on a cloth napkin or towel and sprinkle with a little salt, then squeeze out as much water as possible. You will be amazed at how much comes out, keep squeezin cause more will keep coming out.
Put into a food processor with the yogurt, measure everything else and puree.
It will thicken a bit if refrigerated.
Health Benefits:
Greek Yogurt is packed with protein, calcium and live bacterial cultures. Greek compared to regular has double the protein, lower in sodium and half the sugar. It also help you lose weight by keeping you full on fewer calories. It’s great for vegetarians due to its high Vit. B12 content. An eight-ounce serving has 1.4 micrograms of B12, about 60 percent of what an adult women needs daily.
