Loaded Tzatziki Dip

and why I'm embracing the uneventful

Hi! Welcome to “good mood food” from Kale Me Maybe’s Carina Wolff. If you’ve made it here and aren’t yet a subscriber, come join! You can expect recipes, thoughts, and faves in your inbox every Tuesday!

CATCH UP!

Happy holidays!!

Grant and I were supposed to head to Atlanta this week, but due to some family members having Covid, we have to postpone our trip. It has been a few years since I’ve stayed behind in LA for the holidays, and although I’m sad we won’t be traveling this week, I do feel a little less pressure to get a ton of work done before we leave, which is creating an unexpected and welcome relaxing vibe.

Willow is really coming into her own, and I still am so utterly obsessed with her, I cannot believe it (lol). She is so cuddly, and it’s making my heart feel so warm to spend time with her and Grant at home together. Maybe I’m just feeling sentimental because it’s the holiday season, but everything has just felt so cozy lately.

People I haven’t seen recently keep asking “What’s new with you?” and I keep saying, honestly, NOTHING, which sounds sad, but actually feels really nice. With all the travel and events we had this year, everything was go-go-go, so it feels good to just be chilling in uneventful relaxation. Work feels good, our dog is settling, the house is coming along, and I am just relishing in being content.

Does this mean I’m not itching to book some spontaneous international trip on a whim? Definitely not…I’m still me, after all. Never say never ;)

THINGS I’M LOVING!

Remember I told you last week I ordered a few new workout items? Well, two of today’s favorite things feature those items. First, these Lululemon Align Dupes from Amazon. Now, I don’t say this lightly, because I’ve tried so many pants that are supposedly dupes of the Aligns. Some have been good, but not really the same material, but these pants are the closest I’ve found to the real deal! They are very buttery soft and so comfortable. I love the blue color I got also.

My second favorite workout item I purchased was this Moss Twist Unitard from Girlfriend Collective. Ever since I’ve been getting back into yoga, I’ve been wanting to try out a unitard, and I loved the look of this one with the little twist! I’m also happy to report it was very comfortable to workout out in — no hiking up of the pants needed!! Also, if you’re not familiar with Girlfriend Collective, their apparel is made using recycled plastic bottles!!

Grant and I finally got around to furnishing our bedroom, and we searched long and hard for an affordable wood platform bed frame that would fit our small-ish bedroom. We landed on this Solid Wood Platform Bedframe from AllModern, and although it took Grant a few hours to assemble, it came out beautifully! I can’t believe it was less than $1,000, as most bedframes we were looking at with this style were close to $2,000. I love how it updated the look of our bedroom, and once we get in our nightstands this week, I’ll share what our room looks like fully furnished!

RECIPE!

I got the inspiration for this dip from a recipe I saw from Lord Byron’s Kitchen. Instead of making the base hummus, I used tzatziki instead, and I added in some yellow mini peppers and red onion for color and crunch. The tzatziki recipe I used is adapted from The Wanderlust Kitchen, and as you can probably tell from how often I make it, is SO good.

Grant and I both devoured this dip, and I love how it’s so easy to make, so visually appealing, and so nutritious!

Loaded Tzatziki Dip

Ingredients (serves 4)

Tzatziki

• 2 small Persian cucumbers, grated

• 1 1/2 cups full-fat Greek yogurt

• 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp white vinegar

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tbsp chopped dill

Toppings

• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

• 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow peppers

• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

• 1/4 cup finely chopped cucumber

• Small handful of roughly chopped parsley

• 1/4 cup feta, crumbled

• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

• Olive oil

1. To make tzatziki, grate your cucumbers, and add to a fine mesh sieve. Press down on the cucumbers and try to remove as much liquid as possible. In a small/medium bowl, mix together Greek yogurt, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and salt until completely smooth. Then mix in the drained, grated cucumber and dill.

2. In a small bowl, mix together sun-dried tomatoes, yellow peppers, red onion, cucumber, and parsley.

3. Spoon the veggie mixture over the tzatziki. Top with crumbled feta and toasted pine nuts. Drizzle on some olive oil, and serve with chips or veggies!