Ginger lime tahini in less than 5 minutes
A salad made with a variety of fresh seasonal produce is one of the greatest ways to increase your intake of essential vitamins and nutrients. And how you dress your salad is just as important the salad itself.
We tend to favor store-bought salad dressings because they're easy, convenient and flavorful. At the same time, most of the varieties you’ll find at your grocery store will be full of unhealthy fats from poor quality oils such as sunflower or canola oil, refined sugars, and chemicals and preservatives, which are included as a means to extend the product’s shelf life.
I eat a salad at least once a day and have come to realize that the best (and pretty much only) way to avoid useless or nasty ingredients is to make your own dressing at home.
Going the homemade route gives you more control; not only can you be sure that your dressing contains fewer calories, and no sugar, trans-fats, chemicals or preservatives, but you have the opportunity to use ingredients that are fresher, more nourishing and actually health-promoting.
The Ginger Lime Tahini recipe below is made up of a handful of fresh, healthy ingredients, contains no oil, sugar or gluten, and takes less than five minutes to throw together. Not only is it full of flavor, but it has some great health benefits as well: ginger is a powerful digestive aid; lime is an excellent source of vitamin c and antioxidants, both of which help boost immunity; and hemp seeds are a source of high quality protein and are rich in essential fatty acids - specifically omega 3, which has anti-inflammatory benefits, and omega 6, which helps lower cholesterol and supports healthy skin.
Health benefits aside, this dressing is easy to make and incredibly versatile. It was originally created for a mediterranean salad dish, but I found it pairs really well with asian-inspired dishes too and is great as a sauce to throw on top of veggie bowls or as marinade for tofu and other meat alternatives!
Ginger Lime Tahini
Prep Time: less than 5 minutes | Yields: 1.5 cups
Ingredients
1 inch fresh ginger root, peeled
Juice and zest of 1 lime
2 tbsp raw tahini
2 tbsp hemp seeds
2 tbsp tamari
1/3 cup water
dash of salt
2-3 drops of liquid stevia
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a blender; start to blend on a low to medium speed and slowly increase to the highest speed until ingredients are mixed well and the dressing is completely smooth.
