Recipes made with Tahini

Frozen Vanilla Bliss

This tastes very much like dairy soft serve ice cream, only better. Not only

is it a great way to start your day but it also makes a healthy snack. Use

more tahini if you are a bodybuilder or are trying to increase your (good)

fat, protein and calorie intake. Bodybuilders might try 1 cup of water, 4

tablespoons of tahini and 2 frozen bananas. The addition of carob or other

fruit works very well in this recipe--let your imagination run wild! If you

prefer a sweeter drink, add one or two soaked dates, or a bit of maple syrup

(which is not raw).

3/4 cup water

2 tablespoons raw tahini, or more to taste

1-2 frozen bananas, cut in chunks

Dash vanilla (optional)

In blender, combine water, tahini, banana and vanilla. Blend until thick and

smooth. Serve immediately. Serves 1.

Creamy Carrot Asparagus Soup

This could be called the king of soups. The fiber in the asparagus creates a

delightful texture, and the tahini gives the soup a smooth quality. Do not

use the woody ends of the asparagus; chop only the most tender part, about

two inches from the end. (Vegetarian dogs are known to love the woody ends

of the asparagus; they chew on them like a bone!)

1 cup carrot juice

1 cup coarsely chopped asparagus, or more to taste

2 heaping tablespoons raw tahini or almond butter

1 teaspoon chopped onion, or more to taste

nama shoyu (a raw soy sauce) or celtic sea salt, to taste

Dulse flakes, to taste

In a blender, combine the carrot juice, asparagus, tahini, onion, nama shoyu

and dulse flakes. Blend all the ingredients until smooth. Taste and adjust

the seasonings. Yields approximately 1 1/2 cups. Serves 1.

Variation: Heat soup in the top of a double boiler or over very low heat

until it is warm to the touch. For extra spice, stir in 1/2 teaspoon wasabi

powder.

Orange Tahini Dressing

This delightful light dressing only takes a few minutes to make. Its

simplicity invites variation. Try adding 1-2 teaspoons tamari (a soy sauce

made without wheat), or 2 teaspoons poppy seeds and 1/4 teaspoon Chinese

5-spice powder.

2 tablespoons raw tahini

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon dulse flakes

1 teaspoon grated ginger root

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon curry powder

Pinch sea salt

In a small bowl, place the tahini. Add the orange juice gradually, blending

it with the tahini. Add the dulse, ginger, cinnamon, curry, and salt. Yields

approximately 1/2 cup.

Halvah

Halvah is a candy popular in the Middle East, where it is made from ground

sesame seeds. This is far superior to the store bought variety. For a

lighter version, make this recipe with the almond pulp leftover from making

almond milk. (Use the almond pulp the day you make it.)

1 1/2 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup raw tahini

3 tablespoons honey (or 3-4 soaked dates)

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a food processor, place almonds and process until finely ground. Add the

tahini, honey and vanilla, and process thoroughly. Press the mixture onto a

plate or pan until it is 1/2" (1 cm) thick (don't worry about filling the

pan, just press the mixture to the correct thickness). Chill the halvah in

the refrigerator for 1 hour or more, then cut it into bite-sized pieces and

roll into little balls. Yields 20-24 pieces.

Variation: Add 3 tablespoons carob to mixture.

Nomi Shannon lives and works in Sedona, Arizona. She is hard at work on her

second raw food recipe and resource book: Simply Raw. Occasionally Nomi

holds raw food intensive workshops in her home, contact her for more

information.

Adapted from the book, The Raw Gourmet, Simple Recipes for Living Well,

(Alive Books, 1999) by Nomi Shannon. A full-color comprehensive recipe and

resource book, The Raw Gourmet contains recipes that bring us the tastes we

crave and the live enzymes we need to survive on this planet in this

millennium. To order call: 888-316-4611, or email rawgourmet@aol.com. Visit

the Raw Gourmet website at: www. RawGourmet.com

Check out the

FREE 7 part email course that Nomi offers at her site, called The Raw

Truth, each of the 7 brief "classes" includes a free recipe.

www.rawgourmet.com

rawgourmet@aol.com