Post-graduation, while planning our European adventures, Dan and I stumbled across an amazing deal by Easyjet offering super (and I mean super) cheap cruises around the Greek islands. With our cynical hats on, we weren’t anticipating much from the ship itself, all we really cared about was being able to step afoot sandy beaches, sample the local cuisine and observe a little of the Greek culture, if we were to be so lucky. Unbeknownst to us, the accommodations were more than adequate and the amenities were better than expected. We had a marvelous time island hopping, swimming in the Aegean sea, sipping cocktails, exploring ancient Greek ruins, and eating our body weight in chicken gyros. Unfortunately, the cruise was quietly discontinued in 2008 due to financial issues, which meant we were one of the last people to step aboard the orange-clad fleet. While the Easyjet ship no longer exists, what does remain is my love for tszasiki, a classic Greek side dish typically made with yogurt, cucumber, lemon, oil, and fresh herbs. Simple to prepare and tangy to boot, it makes a wonderful accompaniment to fritters, chips, salads, quinoa bowls, and of course, gyros.

Enjoy xx

Cashew Tzatziki Dip

Makes a little over 1 cups worth

Equipment

• Blender
• Peeler
• Cutting board and knife
• Grater
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Mixing bowl
• Storage container

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted roasted cashews (soaked overnight and drained)

1 cup greek yogurt

1/4 tsp citric acid

2 Tbsp sunflower oil

2 Tbsp chives (finely chopped)

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cucumber (peeled and grated)*

Method

1.) Put all ingredients, except for the cucumber, into a blender and process until smooth.

2.) Put the grated cucumber in a paper towel or kitchen towel and squeeze out the excess water until mostly dry.

3.) Add cucumber and stir into blended mixture.

4.) Chill in fridge for about half an hour before serving

*Cucumbers are listed in the RPAH elimination handbook as moderate salicylate, something to be mindful of if you are highly sensitive to salicylates.