Red Pepper Tahini Dressing / Sauce

I have been lovin' tahini lately. Tahini is a sesame paste found in the ethnic section of the grocery store. It's typically used to make hummus, but is becoming popular as a base for many delicious salad dressings. By itself, tahini has a strong bitter flavor, but, once balanced by other ingredients, transforms into a tasty and healthy addition to any salad. Tahini is an excellent source of calcium which is perfect for people who don't eat dairy. Enjoy it in this recipe that is currently my favorite dressing:

Red Pepper Tahini Dressing / Sauce

By: Angie Cherrette

Yields: 1 cup

Ingredients:

1/3 cup tahini

1 red bell pepper, stem removed and de-seeded

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 large clove garlic, minced or pressed

Sea salt, to taste

Directions:

Place ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Blenders typically will offer a smoother consistency. That, of course, depends on your blender. My cheap blender isn't good for much, so I opted for the food processor. You may need to add some water if your machine is having difficulty mixing. Enjoy!

*Angie's Salad Tips:

For me, a good salad consists of several things:

• Variety: I like to use a variety of vegetables. If I'm making a lot of salads, I make sure to switch up my ingredients in order to consume a larger range of nutrients. Also, don't get stuck on one type of greens. Each type of green offers different and important nutrients, so, do your body a favor and switch it up. Try kale, spinach, arugula, green leafy lettuce, butter lettuce, etc.
• Texture: I need a crunch in my salad. Often I get this with shaved cabbage, chopped carrot or sliced cucumber.
• Color: Before we eat with our tummies, we first eat with our eyes. I use lots of different colors, so that it looks beautiful and is nutrient packed. I think it is important for us to enjoy the way our food looks because it helps us enjoy the meal and feel more satisfied.
• Sprouts: Yum!!! These delicious things are incredibly dense in nutrition. You can find red clover, alfalfa, and broccoli sprouts in stores. Or else you can learn how to sprout your own and widen your options to include pea, lentil, mung bean, and fenugreek sprouts. Play with it - it's very fun, easy and economical.
• Substance: Since I don't eat dairy or meat, I like to have something in my salad that feels substantial and can hold me over. Lots of times this means adding avocado, grains, nuts, seeds or sauteed mushrooms.

Some of my favorite salad combinations:

• Sauerkraut and avocado - don't knock it, 'til you try it! :)
• Sprouts, nori pieces, tomatoes, and tahini
• Cabbage, cilantro, lime, tomatoes, and avocado
• Bruised kale, pomegranate seeds, persimmon or blood orange slices, and black rice
• Arugula and roasted beets
• Cabbage, kale, carrots, and sesame seeds

Be creative, have fun, and enjoy! :)