Tzatziki

Tzatziki is a traditional Mediterranean accompaniment (or “Meze aka snack”) that is versatile and easy to prepare. It can be served as a dip for fresh veggies crudité, fresh or cooked vegetable dishes, with whole grain pita or crackers, with mild fish, as a base for other salads like potato or macaroni salad, as a nutritious topping for sandwiches (gyros) in lieu of mayo or oil, on grilled meats, poultry or tempeh kebabs, and also as a snack “shot.” This avocado infused version boosts Calcium, potassium, choline, and vitamin C.

Avocado Tzatziki:

Servings: 4- 6
¼ cup
1 cucumber seeded, diced
Pinch salt
¼ avocado
1 cup Greek nonfat yogurt drained
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
3 cloves finely minced garlic
2 Tbls fresh mint, minced
Salt & white pepper to taste

Grille Chicken or Tempeh Skewers:

3-4 skewers
3 oz chicken breast or tempeh cut into 1x1 chunks
pineapple chunks
2 Bell Peppers-colors up to you!
4 mini purple potatoes

Marinade:

1/2 cup Orange Juice
2 Tbls Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1 Tbls Honey
1 Tsp Ginger
2 Clove Garlic
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Wood or Metal Skewers

Tzatziki Method:

1. Peel and seed cucumber, dice into small pieces.

2. Place on cheesecloth in colander or strainer over bowl to remove all liquid for 30 minutes.

3. Combine yogurt, avocado, lemon juice, garlic, and mint in food processor and process until smooth.

4. When diced cucumber is free of liquid, dry with paper towel and combine with yogurt/avocado mix.

5. Garnish with fresh mint.

6. Serve with grilled Kebabs.

7. Can be stored in refrigerator 3-4 days.

Kebab Method:

1. Dice chicken breast or tempeh into 1 x 1 chunks.

2. Mix marinade ingredients, place in bowl. Marinate chicken or tempeh for 1 hour.

3. Roast potatoes until just ready, about 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool and cut each in ½.

4. Remove chunks from bag, reserve liquid to baste while grilling, heat and/or reduce by about ¼ to drizzle on plate.

5. Skewer chicken or tempeh, bell peppers, potatoes and pineapple, organizing by color. Sandwich the chicken between veggies fruit or potato.

6. Grill on smokeless indoor grill for about 20 minutes covered, turning skewers every 5 minutes. The electric smokeless gill is one of my favorite kitchen appliances, easy to clean, requires little counter space.

7. Serve with Tzatziki sauce for dipping salad greens and drizzle reduced marinade as desired.