Food Focus: Tahini, a calcium rich food

Tahini, tahine, tehina, or sesame paste is a paste of ground sesame seeds.

When used in Middle Eastern cooking, tahini is made of hulled, lightly roasted seeds. East Asian sesame paste is made of unhulled seeds.

Tahini paste is used in a variety of dishes. It is a popular condiment for meat and vegetables in Middle Eastern cuisine. It is also a main ingredient in soups, sauces, and as a spread. Most commonly we know Tahini as a key ingredient in Hummus dips and spreads.

Hummus

1 15oz can of chick peas
3 tbls. Tahini paste

2-3 tbls. lemon juice
1 garlic clove (optional)
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. cumin (optional)

Water as needed- use the water from the chick pea can (little less than 1/3 of a cup)
Blend all ingredients and serve.

Can be served garnished with olive oil and paprika and chopped parsley.


Tahini Dip, Sauce or Salad Dressing

With kale- another calcium rich food

This recipe can be thinned down to a salad dressing by adding more water or left thick as a spread or a dip:

¾ cup sesame tahini
5 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, minced
3/4 – 1½ cups of water (depending on desired thickness)
½ - 1 tsp. salt (will vary with amount of water used)
A handful of finely minced parsley

Place tahini, lemon juice and garlic in a food processor with a steel blade, or in a blender. (This recipe can also be made in a bowl, stirring the ingredients in with a spoon).
While the motor is running, slowly drizzle in the water, checking every now and then for the desired consistency. Stir in salt.
Transfer to a small bowl a top with fresh Parsley.

Optional: If using a food processor you can add in half to a whole bunch of parsley, blending it into a yummy extra calcium tahini!

Store in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container. Keeps for up to 5 days.

Honey-Tahini Sweet Potatoes

Cut sweet potatoes, toss in a drizzle of olive oil and bake at 400 for 45 minutes.
To prepare the sauce- mix tahini (ground sesame seeds) and honey (preferably raw honey), using about half the amount of honey than the amount of tahini. Mix in water a bit at a time until you reach a consistency you like. Poor over the baked sweet potatoes.

Sweet!

Spreading a layer of the raw paste (right out of the jar) on some bread and top it with honey.
Another favorite is drizzling some of the raw paste over some sliced banana and chopped dates.