Get the latest recipes from Spotthecat1 http://www.grouprecipes.com/people/spotthecat1 This side dish/yogurt salad is perfect for hot, humid days. You can thin it with water to a cream soup consistency or use a yogurt cheese (yogurt that has been strained) for a thicker mixture. Either way it is delicious! http://www.grouprecipes.com/54999/cucumber-yogurt-salad.html I prepare this salad almost every day in the summer. Our tomatoes and cucumbers are grown locally so they are ecologically green (a min. of gas/diesel used to transport to market) and therefore inexpensive. (Use the BEST, most flavorful tomatoes and cucumbers you can find.) We grow mint and flat leaf parsley in our yard and I always have onions, lemons and pure virgin olive oil in my kitchen. And that's all there is to it! http://www.grouprecipes.com/54289/shepherds-salad.html Here's a dish that we eat at least once a week in the summer when our green beans (similar to Italian green beans in the US) are in season. With or without meat it goes well with fresh rice, salad and crusty bread. We often have a glass of salty yogurt drink to round off the meal. You can use canned instead of fresh vegetables but in this simple, summery dish you would be cheating yourself out of the wonderful garden goodness of whole foods! If you want a vegetarian version, omit the meat, use ONLY olive oil, add 1/2 t. sugar and an extra chopped onion. http://www.grouprecipes.com/53500/turkish-green-bean-stew.html This is my family's favorite winter soup. Served with crusty fresh bread and tossed salad it makes a nice vegetarian meal. http://www.grouprecipes.com/53120/turkish-red-lentil-soup.html