Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

We love cilantro around here. This time of year, as the temperatures start to rise, cilantro becomes a staple. I decided to make a cilantro dipping sauce for our chicken and based it loosely on a Tzatziki sauce. The result was nothing less than delicious, cool and refreshing. We also decided that this would be wonderful served with grilled or chilled salmon. Last night we had it with grilled chicken.

I prepared the chicken by rubbing each piece, trimmed and de-fatted, with a little bit of olive oil (to keep it from sticking to the grill) and seasoned lightly with sea salt, garlic powder and freshly ground pepper. Then I handed it over to the husband to toss onto the grill!

For the Cilantro Yogurt Sauce:

1/2 cup of low-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup of low-fat mayonaise
1 heaping tablespoon freshly minced cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1 large lime (or 1 1/2 smaller limes)
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate for an hour before serving.

Cool as a Cucumber Salad

Cucumbers are an easy "salad" option around here. They are a nice cool touch to a Spring chicken or fish meal.

Serves 4

1 large English, seedless cucumber, peeled and cut into very thin slices
5 tablespoons light olive oil (or canola oil)
4 tablespoons Red Wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon oregano
sea salt and pepper to taste

It really doesn't get any easier than this!
Peel and slice cucumber and toss into a medium sized bowl.
In a small bowl mix together oil and vinegar until emulsified.
Pour over cucumbers and add salt, pepper and oregano.
Stir regularly so that cucumbers are all well covered.

Fresh dill, in the summertime, from your garden, adds a wonderful touch as well in place of the oregano.