Today we prepare a variation of the Greek sauce with cucumbers, known as tzatziki. Instead of yogurt we use lactose-free cottage cheese with a low carbohydrate content of only 1 gram per 100 g of product. The result is a delicious dip very similar to what is commonly eaten in Greece, perfect to accompany the famous skewers souvlaki or gyros pita! Try it once and you’ll fall in love. Suitable for any summer preparation: appetizers, cold starters, to garnish and flavor first courses such as couscous or pasta salad, and also meat, fish or hard-boiled eggs. And what about the cucumber sauce served as a pinzimonio for fresh vegetables? An absolute delight, also usable instead of mayonnaise to fill a cold white pizza for the summer. A real wildcard to enrich any dish.
Tzatziki with cucumbers and lactose-free cottage cheese, 1 serving (90 g): 81 calories, 2.4 g carbohydrates, 5.6 g protein, 5.7 g fat. Therefore this is a low-carbohydrate (low carb), protein-rich recipe with a good amount of healthy fats (omega-3 from oil), also suitable for a keto diet (with K-Ratio greater than 1).
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Cooking methods: No-cook
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
- Energy 70.25 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 4.17 (g) of which sugars 2.82 (g)
- Proteins 4.65 (g)
- Fat 4.04 (g) of which saturated 3.32 (g)of which unsaturated 0.35 (g)
- Fibers 0.35 (g)
- Sodium 168.01 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 90 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for 1 serving of sauce (90 g / about 3.2 oz)
- 1.5 oz cucumbers (fresh)
- 1.5 oz cottage cheese (lactose-free)
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil (or olive oil)
- 1 clove garlic (small)
- 1 sprig parsley (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Matcha green tea (optional)
Tools
Preparation for cucumber sauce
To prepare the cucumber sauce first wash a cucumber thoroughly, weigh about 1.5 oz (40 g), the quantity indicated for 1 serving (or increase the amount according to your needs). Slice it into not-too-thick slices (if the cucumber is small it is recommended to use it with all the peel, which contains valuable nutritional properties).
Then put into the bowl of a food processor: 1 tablespoon of parsley leaves (can be substituted with basil) + 1 small garlic clove. Pulse the motor for a few moments, then add 1 teaspoon of oil + 1.5 oz (about 40 g) of cottage cheese. Pulse the motor again, then scrape down to bring the mixture to the bottom. Finally add 1.5 oz (about 40 g) of sliced cucumber with the skin and blend again until you obtain a thick sauce. To boost antioxidant properties you can add a teaspoon of matcha green tea powder, but it is delicious even without it.
The cucumber pinzimonio (keto) is ready. A sauce that makes every dish delightful.
Great with vegetables, first courses and main dishes of both meat and fish, or eggs.
Storage
The Tzatziki Sauce with cucumbers and cottage cheese can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days
Do you know what lactose is? Why is it contraindicated for the ketogenic diet?
Lactose is the sugar of milk and its derivatives; therefore, besides being contraindicated for a person lacking the enzyme that splits lactose into glucose and galactose (i.e., those who are lactose intolerant), it is also contraindicated for those following a ketogenic diet (because it is a sugar, therefore a carbohydrate).
Why is the cucumber sauce suitable for a keto diet?The cucumber and lactose-free cottage cheese sauce is a keto recipe because it yields a ketogenic ratio (K-ratio) greater than 1, thus promoting the production of ketone bodies
Can cucumber skin be eaten?
Certainly, cucumbers can be eaten with the skin, which is also the part where nutrients are concentrated. It is always recommended to wash cucumbers very well before consuming them whole, to buy fresh and organic products, or even better if grown in your own garden or a pot.
