Two Fit Moms

Tag: yogurt

  • Tzatziki as Easy as 1-2-3

    Tzatziki as Easy as 1-2-3

    I do a lot of entertaining in the summer, and my family loves Mediterranean food, so you will likely find hummus and other yummy dips at our house.  This week we made Tzatziki Sauce – which is a Greek cucumber yogurt sauce. Generally, you might find it alongside a gyro at your favorite Greek restaurant.  And, while it’s not usually served as a dip — more of a condiment — we use it as one.  We like to dip pita chips and fresh raw veggies in Tzatziki Sauce.  It’s full of cool cucumbers, zesty garlic and fresh dill making a refreshing dip which is perfect for the warm weather.
    tzatziki
    If you don’t want to eat it as a dip, and prefer to serve it as a sauce, you can use it alongside grilled chicken or fish (I think it would be great with grilled wild salmon!) — and I bet it would taste pretty good on a burger (whichever kind you fancy).

    It’s pretty simple to make — just three easy steps — grate, drain, mix (see more details below). It’s also the perfect recipe for those of you have a garden full of cucumbers!

    Tzatziki as Easy as 1-2-3
    Yields 3+cups 

    2 cups of shredded cucumber, salted and drained (see note below)
    3 cups of plain Greek yogurt
    2 tablespoons chopped dill
    1 tablespoon lemon juice
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1 clove of garlic, crushed
    1/2 tsp white vinegar
    salt
    pepper

    There are basically three steps involved in making this dip.  Grating the cucumber, salting/draining it and then mixing it together with the rest of the ingredients.

    Peel and slice the cucumber lengthwise. Remove the seeds with a spoon. Use a hand grater to grate the cucumber. Place the cucumber in a colander and add a little salt (1/3 teaspoon) in order to extract some of the liquid. Let it sit as you prepare the rest of the sauce.

    In a large bowl, add the yogurt, dill, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, white vinegar, salt and pepper.

    Drain as much liquid from the grated cucumber and add the cucumber to the bowl with the yogurt mixture.  Mix to combine and serve.

  • Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote

    Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote

    Mother’s Day is around the corner. Have you planned something special for your mom?  I think all moms love brunch — so whether you are making one — or someone else is making you one — check out this recipe for Strawberry-Rhubarb compote.

    strawberryrhubarbIf you’ve never had rhubarb, you really must try it.  It’s actually a vegetable — it kind of looks like red celery. It is frequently paired with strawberries because they sweeten up the naturally tart rhubarb.  You can make strawberry rhubarb pie, or strawberry rhubarb crisp, but I thought a compote would be delicious and versatile and perfect for Mother’s Day brunch!

    So, what is a compote?  In this case, it’s a mixture of cooked down fruit, usually in a flavored sugar/water reduction.  It can be eaten on it’s own — both hot or cold. You can also use it to top pancakes and waffles, ice cream and pound cake. However, today, I’m going to layer it between Greek yogurt for a delicious parfait.

    The Strawberry-Rhubarb compote recipe is super simple.  All you need is strawberries, rhubarb, maple syrup (yes, I’ve replaced the white sugar with grade B maple syrup to lighten it up), lemon zest and vanilla extract — let it cook down on the stove and voila – compote! For this recipe, let it cool down before serving.

    So, here’s my recipe.  I’m hoping it introduces some of you to rhubarb — which is a wonderful vegetable — and I hope you love it.  I think the parfait would be lovely for Mother’s Day brunch, don’t you?

    Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote
    Yield approximately 4 cups 

    4 cups of rhubarb (sliced, 1/2 inch thick)
    1, 16 ounce container of strawberries, quartered
    1/2 cup of grade B maple syrup
    2 tablespoons water
    zest of 1 lemon
    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

    In a saucepan over medium low heat, add the rhubarb, maple syrup, and water.  Let the mixture simmer until the rhubarb just starts to soften.  Then, add the strawberries and cook until they are soft — total cooking time is approximately 10-12 minutes.  Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest at the very end.  Please note that the rhubarb cooks down — it will not be whole, but you will notice strawberry pieces throughout.

    If you are going to make the parfait in the photos — just add a few tablespoons of Greek yogurt to a cup, then a tablespoon or two of the compote, then repeat until you reach the top of your glass.  You could even top yours with granola or chopped walnuts.

    Helpful Hint: Rhubarb is a seasonal spring find! You can find it in your local grocery store — in the fresh produce section or in the freezer case. If you purchase it fresh, you will find it in long stalk form. You generally won’t find any with green leaves in tact, but if you do, remove them — you only use the red stalk!