Lemon Tahini Dressing

MAKES ABOUT 1/4 CUP • PREP TIME: 5 minutes • COOK TIME: Not applicable

“Tahini” sounds exotic, kind of like Tahiti, but if you can get past the name it’s one of the simplest ingredients in this most basic—but delicious, of course—of dressings. Tahini is a sesame paste, available in any supermarket, and a major player in hummus. It’s so easy to work with that this whole dressing comes together with nothing more than a fork, a little warm water, some lemon juice, and couple of spices. I use tahini for the taste, but your body will love it for its high healthy fat and mineral content including zinc, which is important in learning and brain development.

1/4 cup tahini
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons warm water, plus more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Put the tahini, lemon juice, salt, maple syrup, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne in a small bowl and mix with a spoon into a smooth paste.
Slowly pour in the warm water, whisking all the while and continue whisking until you’ve achieved a thick but pourable dressing. If more water is needed, add a teaspoon at a time. Season with pepper if Desired.

STORAGE: Store in the refrigerator for about a week. The dressing thickens as it sits, so you may need to add more water to thin.

Reprinted with permission from The Healthy Mind Cookbook Copyright © 2015 by Rebecca Katz with Mat Edelson, Ten Speed Press, a division of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA.

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