Homemade Tahini

Can you tell that I've been making an effort to make and share healthier things on the blog lately? Not really? Yeah, me neither. Well, I've sort of been trying. I have a hummus recipe to share with you tomorrow, which I consider to be pretty healthy. One of the main ingredients of hummus, other than the chickpeas, is tahini. Today, I'm sharing an easy homemade tahini. It's readily available in the grocery store but they always sell it in such huge containers and I really have no use for it other than for hummus and I can only make and eat so much hummus, you know?

I mean, tahini only takes two ingredients, so why not make it yourself?

Ingredients [yields ¼ cup]:
⅓ cup sesame seeds
1 tablespoon olive oil

Start by toasting the seeds in a pan just to warm them through and develop a bit more flavor. You're not looking to get any color on the seeds, you just want to toast them until you start to smell them.

I was making a tiny portion of tahini so I thought it would be easier to use a mortar and pestle but you can use a food processor if you like. If you're using a food processor, just add in the seeds and oil and grind until a smooth butter forms. Add more oil if necessary to achieve a spreadable, soft consistency.

If you're using a mortar and pestle like me, dump the seeds in and grind them up until a paste forms. It should have a consistency similar to peanut butter. Then, add in a little bit of oil at a time until it's a perfect and smooth spread forms.

Keep the tahini in an air-tight container for up to 1 week. By the way, to fellow peanut-allergy sufferers, tahini tastes a lot like peanut butter. It's not an exact substitute but it's a great alternative. You can totally spread it onto some bread with jelly and have faux pb & j.

Here's the recipe page: