Simple Yogurt Dip

courtesy of Wikipedia

photographer:  Rainer Zenz

Turkish Cacik made with yogurt and cucumber

simple yogurt dip

appliances

small bowl

1 tsp or tbsp

chopping knife & board (if using fresh herbs)

ingredients

about 1 cup of non-fat plain yogurt

fresh dill, chopped - or 1-2 tsps. dry dill

1-2 tsp mayonaise (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste


procedure

add your dill, optional mayonaise, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper to the yogurt.  mix with your spoon, et voilà!  A lovely, non-fattening, and nutricious dip.

you can garnish this simple yogurt dip with a piece of fresh dill or mint, and it's great served with chips and raw vegetables, or a main dish like kebabs or falafels. 

courtesy of university of maryland

college of agriculture and natural resources

cucumbers on a trellis in a raised bed

variations

(a)  leave out the mayonaise, add chopped cucumber, and serve as a small side dish to accompany spicy entrées and curries.

(b)  leave out the mayonaise, add a dash of olive oil, lemon juice, 1-2 garlic cloves (minced or crushed), fresh mint.  (this gives you a Turkish cacik recipe, as pictured above.)

courtesy of timesunion.com

photo credit:  posted at Capitol Confidential by Rick Karlin

moo!  upstate new york gets yogurt boom

discussion

i wonder if this recipe evolved out of indian yogurt salads (as in the "a" variation) or Turkish cacik (the "b" variation - and pictured above via wikipedia). 

whatever, it is a great way to satisfy your munchies without adding to your waistline, while getting important nutritional needs met, for yourself or other family members.  it is an easy dip serve-up for guests, and when you are busy with other meal preparations.

personally, i prefer plain yogurt to, say, sour cream with any number of recipes such as wraps, potatoes, or topped on soups or stews.  i mix it in oatmeal and top it on omelettes with an olive.  tastes great, much heart-healthier, and another way to "sneak nutrition" into children's dishes.

courtesy of wikipedia

photographer:  Shizhao

eggplant flower

 

mmm! i am suddenly thinking about slices of eggplant sautéed in olive oil and served up with yogurt and cumcumber!

yogurt is making a come-back as an american industry.  the new york times had this article in january about sales of Greek yogurt booming (Greek yogurt can of course be used in this recipe, and some prefer its creamier quality). 

courtesy of The Detroit News

photographer:  Mike Groll/AP



Two employees work in the labeling plant

at Chobani Greek Yogurt in South Edmeston, N.Y.

Chobani reported adding 900 jobs in upstate New York, with plans to add another 100 there and another 400 jobs in Twin Falls, Idaho.