Hummus with Gyro Flavored TVP and Tzatziki Sauce

This is one of my favorite meals in the Summer.  It has an interesting mix of warm and cool foods.  With this mix of vegetables and herbs, it will lower your body temperature and leave you with an overall feeling of being cool and refreshed.  It can be served with Pita bread or pita crackers, accompanied by fresh vegetables such as cucumber slices, celery sticks, and baby carrots.  Garnished with chopped cucumbers, chopped tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and feta cheese.  If you love this dish and would like a similar Lebanese-style version.  I make one with Hummus, Bil Lahme-flavored TVP, and a Yogurt mint sauce.

I grew up having this dish with ground lamb or beef.  I no longer eat either.  Feel free to use what you are more comfortable with.

I would like to say thank my reader JN for this.  I see my doctor tomorrow and will see what I am allowed to use right away.  I would also like to say thank you to those who use my affiliate links.  I do make a little bit off of every purchase.

This post may contain affiliate links.

Hummus

1 15oz can of chickpeas + 2 tbsp chickpea brine

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/3 cup tahini paste

3/4 tsp pink salt

1/2 tsp cumin powder

2 tbsp olive oil

Rosemary-infused olive oil for garnishing

Sumac for garnishing

Add all of the ingredients to a food processor.  Puree until smooth and creamy looking.  Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until you're ready to use.

Gyro Flavored TVP

1 cup unflavored TVP (or use 16 oz of either ground lamb or beef)

1 cup hot vegetarian beef broth (omit if using meat)

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup onions, chopped

pink salt and black pepper, ground to taste

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp marjoram

1tsp rosemary

2/3 cup fresh spinach

Soak the TVP in the broth.  In a skillet, add the olive oil, onions, salt, and pepper.  Sauté them for 3-4 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute.  Add the herbs and spinach and cook just until the spinach starts to wilt.  It will continue wilting after the heat is turned off.

Tzatziki Sauce

5 oz Greek yogurt

1/4 cup grated cucumber

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp dill weed

1/2 tsp garlic powder

pink salt and black pepper, ground to taste

Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl.  Refrigerate until you're ready to use.

To put it all together, you'll need:

1/4 cup cucumber, chopped

1/4 cup of tomatoes, chopped

Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

Fresh Feta cheese (I make my own)

In a bowl, I usually do individual servings, put about a 1/2 cup of hummus.  Drizzle the Rosemary-Infused olive oil, and sprinkle with sumac.  Next, place the Gyro-flavored meat. Drizzle the tzatziki sauce over the meat and top that with cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, and cheese.  Enjoy!

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Greek Salad

Israeli Couscous with Kale and Mushrooms Topped with Grapes and Balsamic

Honeydew Ginger Sherbet

Others live to eat, myself I eat to live.

 - Socrates