Cucumber Yogurt Lime Dip

I mentioned when we were in Florida recently that we met up with my friend Jenn from My Daily Jenn-ism and her family for dinner one evening; who happened to be in Disney the same night we were there before heading out on their cruise. There were eight of us (4 adults, 3 kids and a teenager...because I  can't really call her a "kid" any longer when she towers over me!). Anyway, after several attempts to find a place to dine, we had no luck (or 2 hour wait times).

We were in the Downtown Disney area so we just started walking towards Pleasure Island and figured we'd just try places along the way, until we came upon this restaurant/pub called Paradiso 57, Taste of the Americas. None of us had ever dined there before, but after looking at the menu decided there was something for everyone AND they could seat the 8 of us immediately...bonus!

Jenn with her good friend Jose

We ordered some appetizers and drinks to start with (look at the size of their margaritas!) including their Chorizo and Beef Skewers (Spicy Chorizo Skewers, Marinated Beef Skewers, Chimichurri Pita Bread, Marinated Mushrooms with Citrus Yogurt Sauce). The Citrus Yogurt Sauce was delicious and really cut the heat from the spicy chorizo so I asked our waitress what was in it and she told me cucumbers, yogurt and lime. After we got home, I decided to experiment with this recipe for myself and it came out great. You can use this as a dip with tortilla chips or pita bread or use it as an accompaniment for grilled meat, chicken or fish.


Cucumber Yogurt Lime Dip
Prep Time: 10 minutes     Yield: 12 tablespoons       Servings: 1 tablespoon

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. Cucumber, peeled and small dice
• 1 c. Plain Nonfat Yogurt (I used Chobani)
• 1/2 Lime, zest and juice
• 1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until creamy. Cover and refrigerate. Can be kept up to 3 days. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 13, Carbs 1.2g, Fat 0g, Protein 2.1g, Fiber .1g, Sugar .9g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy! 

Greek Salad

I just love this salad, especially this time of year when the tomatoes and cucumbers are so fresh from local growers. This salad usually calls for peppers to be added as well, but no one in my family particularly cares for them, so I leave the skins on the cucumbers for that beautiful contrasting color. Speaking of color, not only is it gorgeous, this entire salad only took me about 10 minutes to make...BONUS!

Greek Salad
2 Large Cucumbers, skins washed
4 Plum Tomatoes
1/2 Red Onion, thinly sliced
5 oz. Kalamata Olives
2 oz. Feta Cheese, crumbled
Prepared Dressing 

Directions:
1. Slice the cucumbers about 1/4" thick and add to a bowl. 
2. Next, cut the tomatoes into wedges (approximately 6 slices per tomato) and add them to the cucumbers.
3. Add the onions, olives, cheese and prepared dressing and mix well. Serves 8-10. 

Dressing:
3 tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Add all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until blended. 

Enjoy!