GO TAHINI with me! There are so many reasons why so...of course, I’m going to list them out for you :)
First, tahini is a savory, lemony and delicious dressing that you’ve tasted before but maybe had no clue how to recreate…and guess what, it’s SO EASY! You can make this dressing at home to pour over your salads that you take to work or that you order out from restaurants. When I make it, I like to make enough to last me the week because I always eat a hearty salad for lunch and a small one at dinner. I try to avoid luscious dressings that cancel out the fact that I've eaten a healthy salad. A light yet creamy tahini dressing, in my opinion, is the wise way to go.
2nd, Tahini is made from a fine sesame paste, and for this recipe I will be using only the best from Mighty Sesame Co. Sesame seeds are packed with vitamins and minerals that are good for you, like calcium, magnesium, vitamin E and healthy fats.
3rd, unlike other pre-made dressings (which might taste good), tahini dressing is lighter in fat and calories, but high in protein. Plant protein to be specific!
4th, it’s vegan and organic!
There are more reasons that I’ll get into but I really want to get you started with this recipe and get you eating faster! So here we go…
Start to finish with prep: 15 minutes
Ingredients you'll needed for a salad that serves 2 (or 4 small side salads)
• Mighty Sesame Co. sesame paste – 1/3 cup
• 2-3 large lemons – squeezed into ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves – chopped finely
• Sugar – ¼ teaspoon
• Water – 1/3 cup
• Salt – ¾ teaspoon (for the dressing) and then a dash of salt for salad before pouring dressing
• 1 bunch of kale – de-veined and sliced or torn into long bitesize pieces
• Garbonzo beans (drained and rinsed off) - ½ cup
• Sundried tomatoes (chopped and then soaked in olive olive) – ¼ cup
• Roasted sunflower seeds – ¼ cup
• Kalamata Olives (pitted and sliced) – ¼ cup
• Shredded parmesan cheese – a sprinkle (this is optional based on whether you want to keep this salad vegan)
To mix the tahini dressing you'll need a small wisk or large fork.
Instructions:
- Let’s make the tahini dressing first. Mix together in a bowl the Mighty Sesame Co. paste, water, salt, garlic, sugar and lemon juice and wisk until creamy. Taste it and adjust to your liking with any more of the ingredients you just used. Set aside until the end.Wash, de-vein and slice up the kale greens into bite-size pieces.
- Throw kale into a large serving bowl and then begin to add everything else!
- Add the garbonzo beans, kalamata olives, sunflower seeds, and an optional dash of salt.
- Pour tahini dressing slowly over salad (as you might not need it all), have a bite and add more if needed.
- Sprinkle shredded parmesan on top!
- Eat your heart out!
You’re going to get addicted to making your own salad dressing, just like me! It’s incredible that this dressing contains all natural ingredients and nothing like mayo! Once you make enough for various servings, the dressing will hold in your fridge for a week and the bold Mediterranean taste literally goes with everything. It’s a fastastic way to maintain your waistline without getting bored of the conventional salad and surrendering to fatty/sugary dressings.
And not to get too dorky, but sesame is also soothing for your digestive track and wonderful for your skin and bones.
Let me know what you think of this recipe and if you decide to GO TAHINI with me! XO, Bianca Jade