Cucumber Yogurt Dip with Lemon and Parsley (Tzatziki)

    If you haven’t picked up on this yet,  I do a lot of entertaining. I love to have people over for dinner or to celebrate some event and I seldom arrive empty handed to the various parties and celebrations I attend. That means I make a lot of appetizers. One thing I strive for when I make food for a group of people is that there will be something for everyone. Cucumber yogurt dip is perfect for those who are looking for something lower in calories, especially if you skip the optional sour cream. It is a healthy choice as it is full of good stuff like grated cucumber, lemon, parsley  and Greek yogurt. It is a great choice for vegetarian guests.

 This is a wonderfully refreshing dip that can wake up a veggie platter.  It can also be served with grilled chicken and vegetables and pita bread as a more filling dish.  I love to have left-overs to make a nice salad dressing the next day. Of course, it is great with falafel.

       One of the key ingredients here is Greek yogurt. Is Greek yogurt available where you live?  I know I get people here from so many different countries so let me explain in case you call it something else. Greek yogurt is yogurt that is denser and creamier than typical yogurts we can buy here. I believe they strain out more liquid but perhaps there is more to it than that. I have heard there is more protein and less sugars in Greek yogurt, because of the lower liquid content. I know, back in the ”olden days” J  I used to strain yogurt in cheese cloth layers to remove some of the liquid so the yogurt would be creamier for dips. Oh this is so much easier and so much better!!

I love adding lemon zest to Tzatsiki. Did you know lemon zest is a great source of vitamin C and also contains a bit of vitamin B-6, calcium and fiber? When zesting a lemon, you are grating off only the yellow part- the white is where the bitterness resides while the yellow has a pleasantly tart flavor. I use a micro-planer to achieve very fine pieces because you don’t want bigger pieces. If you only have a zester or regular grater, chop the pieces very fine with a large knife.

Cucumber yogurt sauce (Tzatziki)

1 Sm cucumber, seeded*, grated or finely diced, peeled, or unpeeled depending on thickness of peel

1 cup greek yogurt ( I prefer 2% but you may use non-fat )

1TBSP fresh lemon juice ( taste at the end and add more if desired, up to 2 TBSP)

1 clove garlic pressed

1 tsp. Greek seasoning blend (oregano, mint, garlic) OR Dill Seasoning blend OR Lemon pepper

2-3  TBSP Fresh Italian parsley, chopped

1 TBSP fresh mint chopped (or 1tsp dried) Optional

Lemon Zest from 1 small lemon, very finely grated **

½ tsp or so of kosher or sea salt ( add more if needed)

¼ - ½  cup sour cream ( optional)

Mix everything and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to a day.

Serve with cut up raw vegetables, pita bread, crackers or as a sauce with grilled meats and veggies or thin a bit for salad dressing.

*To seed cucumber, simply cut in quarters lengthwise and slice out the middle portion with the seeds.

**Lemon zest should be very fine so if you don’t have good micro plane, then grate and chop it to get it as fine as possible.

Hummus with Roasted Red Pepper

        Ah the holidays- this time of year is for sweet potatoes, pumpkin and turkey but it is also a time of many social gatherings and there is a need for party food. Really--there is always a need for party food!  I love to make all kinds of appetizers, tapas or small plates, and snacks.

       I like to have thanksgiving dinner a bit later in the day and put out some appetizers earlier on to tide people over. I often make appetizers from various cultures because I think it highlights our cultural diversity in America, for which I am thankful. It is nice to serve something that might stretch someone’s idea of regular Thanksgiving Day fare and give a little pizazz to a sometimes predictable meal. A note on Thanksgiving day menus—you may want to talk with your family before you change too much about the main players on your menu since family members may be very attached to particular dishes. I try to find out what special dish each one is expecting to find and try to make at least some of their wishes come true.  But for appetizers, I think anything goes!

            We have hosted several gatherings just this week so I made a large batch of hummus to help sustain our guests.   Hummus is so easy to make and  when you make it yourself you can decide on what you would like to add in—lemon juice and garlic are favorites, but I love to add roasted red peppers! It really gives hummus a nice, sweet flavor. I know some purists may cringe but I like roasted red pepper hummus better than any other. The recipe I use is easy since I use canned chickpeas, but if you have time, try cooking up dried chickpeas and using them.

I am not sure where I learned to make  hummus since I have been doing it for quite a while and tweaking it as I go. However, I got the idea of the red peppers from a hummus I buy that is made in Boulder; I think it is called Blue Moose. This is my go to if I don’t have time to make any hummus.

I usually have all the ingredients for hummus in my kitchen except for tahini. But making tahini is easier than making hummus! I usually do have some sesame seeds on hand and that is all you really need with just a bit of oil. Tahini that is made at home is different than store bought. It has much more texture. I think this texture actually improves the hummus but if you have store-bought tahini feel free to use that.

So here is my little recipe for red pepper hummus, adapt as you please :-) I sometimes add other things too such as artichoke hearts or green olives--see note.

I am off to prepare the first of 4 thanksgiving type dinners. My mom and my son and his girlfriend will all be traveling this Thanksgiving so we are having a vegetarian thanksgiving together tonight.

Hummus with Roasted Red Peppers

25 oz can of organic garbanzo beans *

¼ cup tahini (may use more, home made or store bought)

2-3 garlic cloves, crushed, ( or about2- 3 tsp)

1/3 to ½ cup or so fresh lemon juice

2 tsp olive oil

1 cup roasted red peppers, jarred or homemade

5 drops hot sauce, sriracha or tabasco

Pinch of cayenne pepper and sprinkle of lemon pepper, optional

1 tsp salt. Kosher or sea salt

Rinse canned chickpeas well. Put them together with tahini into food processor and blend for 1-2 minutes. Add everything else and process for at least 2 minutes, stopping a few times to stir

Garnish with paprika, olive oil, parsley. Serve with vegetables, cucumbers esp., pita chips, tabouleh salad, tomatoes, lettuce and pitas.

*If you can only find 15 oz cans, use two and just up the other ingredients a bit

Note: You can also add other flavors such as 1/3 cup artichoke hearts, 6 green olives, 2 tsp capers or roasted garlic

Tahini recipe

1 cup sesame seeds

  1/3 cup olive oil

Heat oven to 350 and toast seeds for 5-7 minutes till just starting to turn golden. Cool slightly and  add to blender or food processor and blend for about 2 minutes until it is paste like. Refrigerate left overs for 2 months or so.



Here are some pictures from some of our recent gatherings. We all enjoyed the hummus and other appetizers and the wonderful company!