Vegetable Crudités with Jalapeño Dipping Sauce

The heat of a jalapeño spices up this refreshing vegetable dip. A tangy alternative with less heat would be to substitute a teaspoon of lime juice for the jalapeño. Dig in with any of your favorite vegetables, like carrots, asparagus, red pepper slices, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, celery, or fennel.

• 2 cups plain yogurt (preferably not fat-free)
• 1/3 cup jarred jalapeño slices, drained well
• 1 small clove garlic, minced and mashed to a paste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 3 lbs. fresh vegetables, trimmed, for dipping

In a food processor, pulse the yogurt, jalapeños, garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper until uniform but slightly chunky, about 1 to 2 pulses. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the cilantro and thyme. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. (You can refrigerate for up to one day before serving.) Serve with the vegetables.