Cashew Yoghurt Tzatziki
This recipe includes one of my all time favourite dairy alternatives: Cashew yoghurt. I used to be a huge lover of plain yoghurt before I switched to a plant-based diet and it was one of the few things I found difficult to give up. Luckily there are amazing dairy-free alternatives that provide all of the creamy tart yoghurty flavour but without all the saturated fat and hormones found in dairy. The non-dairy version is also made with live probiotic cultures so it is a great way to improve gut health and immunity. In addition, cashews are super high in healthy fats and minerals like iron and zinc.
I love making my cashew yoghurt into a creamy savoury tzatziki dip and then add it as a condiment to my hot bean dishes, rice, salads (it makes for a great salad dressing) or use it as a spread on wholegrain crackers or toast or as a dip for raw veggies. It also makes a wonderful sauce for falafel along with some hummus and tahini. But best of all, I often serve this at dinner parties and nobody ever knows that it's not the "real" dairy version.
For my patients on calorie-controlled meal plans:
1 x 62g serving of this recipes =
· 1 fat servings
It all starts with...
Ingredients:
- 1 cup/ 250ml Utopia Foods plain Cashew Nut Yoghurt (Or non-dairy yoghurt of choice)
- 1 large English cucumber
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- Juice of half a lemon
- 2 tbsp olive oil (optional)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- Pepper to taste
Method:
1. Wash your cucumber thoroughly and then grate the entire cucumber (including the skin).
2. Place the grated cucumber in a bowl and mix in the remaining ingredients.
3. Put the tzatziki in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 6-8 hours before eating to allow the flavours to infuse.
4. Give it a good stir prior to serving and serve as a dip or spread or as a topping for curries and rice dishes.