Since attending a lunch that celebrated Greek wines, I can't stop thinking about Greek cuisine. My favorite Greek condiment is tzatziki, a cooling sauce that's served with grilled meat, souvlaki, and gyros. It's made with Greek yogurt that's been strained, so it has a super thick texture. I use Ina Garten's recipe, but I add a bunch of chopped mint to it. The most important ingredients are the yogurt and cucumbers, otherwise, you can add whatever herbs you have on hand, parsley works well as does dill and basil. Check out the method after the break.
Fast & Easy Dinner: Beef and Bulgur Falafel
Traditionally, a falafel is a fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas or fava beans that's served in a pita with an assortment of toppings. This recipe isn't exactly a falafel, it's more like a healthy burger inspired by the Middle Eastern specialty.
The slider-sized patties are a mixture of ground beef, bulgur wheat, and spices. The recipe calls for a quick yogurt sauce, yellow peppers, and cabbage to top off the pitas, but feel free to get creative. Feta cheese and tomatoes would be delicious. Get the uncomplicated and satisfying recipe when you read more
Definition: Tzatziki

Tzatziki
A type of Greek condiment that is served as a dipping sauce. It usually consists of yogurt, diced cucumbers and garlic. It can also include olive oil and fresh herbs depending on its region of Greek origin.
Greece's Hidden Secret: FAGE Yogurt
I love yogurt but for me there are very few yogurts that stand out among the pack.
That is why I was totally blown away when I tried, FAGE Total Yogurt (pronounced: Fa'-yeh!). FAGE Total is "Greek yogurt" that is truly Greek -- You can tell by the signature rich and thick velvety texture. It gets the great texture with the unique straining and separating process of the whey from the yogurt. The process also makes the product a suitable cooking ingredient as it does not curdle at high temperatures. What's more? All the FAGE yogurts contain Live & Active Cultures.
The taste is unbeatable and the texture is downright amazing. For me, nothing is worse than eating super runny yogurt. The FAGE Total 0% has 80 calories and zero grams of fat and unlike most fat free yogurts, it actually tastes really, really good.
I used it to make my most recent batch of Tzatziki and it was the best yet! Look for it in boutique and health food grocery stores. For more info, visit the FAGE Website.
Snack Attack: Tzatziki, No Longer Greek to Me
I recently spent some time in Greece and I literally lived on Tzatziki and pita the entire time I was there.
Convinced it was going to keep the memories alive at home, I have been making a healthier version of this tasty Greek style dip.

Ingredients:
- 2 cups of non-fat yogurt
- 2 large cucumbers
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic (or 2 garlic cloves)
- 10 fresh mint leaves
- A handful of dill (or if you're like me and don't like dill you can leave this step out)
Put all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until mixed well. You can decide how chunky you want it to be but it should be close to the consistency of ranch dressing (with cucumber bits mixed in). Store in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until ready to serve. Serve with veggies and whole wheat pita, or pita chips.
Why we love it:
Yogurt is a great source of calcium. Try to get organic and Live & Active cultured yogurt to really reap the health benefits.
Cucumbers are very low in calories as well as a great way to help cleanse your insides.
Garlic can fight a common cold (and cough) and could also be effective in the fight against cholesterol.
Mint is great for soothing an upset stomach, it opens airways to help breathing and is a good source of Vitamin C (for an herb at least).
Fit's Tip: This is a great snack to serve if you will be entertaining guests because it can be prepared in advance.