Taziki Sauce

Mediterranean food has to be (one) my favorite cuisines, hands down. I love the simplicity and freshness that you taste in all of the foods as you are eating. I'm not sure if I have mentioned this before, so I'll do it now. My intention with food is to never mask the flavor of the actual vegetable or grain or whatever it is that you are making. In all reality, that's my least favorite foods--ones in which all you can taste is the spice and not the fragrance of what it is that you are actually eating. I appreciate Mediterranean food for this matter. 

Taziki sauce is very similar to a traditional Indian raitu, with it's own twist. It's super easy to make, and it pairs well with basically everything. Use it as a dipping sauce for veggies, a flavor enhancer in sandwiches, or a topping on your falafel dish.

The base of any Taziki sauce is going to be Greek Yogurt. We know that yogurt is a GREAT source of probiotics and protein to help aid your gut and intestines. Having a healthy gut biome is essential in healthy digestion and proper functioning of the entire tract. From an Ayurvedic perspective, yogurt is cooling to the system. So, this sauce is great to enjoy in the summer time.  

Of course, the best part of this side dish is that it takes an all of 4 minutes to make. Just dump all ingredients in and stir. Voila! 

Ingredients:​

• 3 cups Greek Yogurt (it's best to get full fat yogurt. Any "skim"/"low-fat" undergoes some level of processing, and of course our goal is to attempt to eliminate all processed foods from our diets)
• 3/4 cup cucumber--peeled & shredded 
• 1/2 cup dill leaves--minced 
• 1 tsp garlic powder OR 3/4 tsp finely minced fresh garlic. 
• Salt & Pepper to taste 
• Water as needed

Directions:

• In a large mixing bowl, measure our your Greek yogurt. Add water and mix until it reaches the consistency you would like. (Note: I use maybe 1/4 cup water just to eliminate clumps from the yogurt. Thin it out as you like, just remember that the cucumber will release water so you it will naturally become thin. It's all preference!) Mix until you get a really nice, smooth consistency. 
  
• Add in the rest of the ingredients, and mix. Salt and pepper is to your liking. 
• Literally, that's it! 

Enjoy!