I used to not give tahini importance. I always thought that it was something a dish could go without – mainly because I thought that it was hard to source or make.
The dishes that I would make that required tahini never seemed to be how I imagined it would taste and for the longest time, I refused to admit that it was because of the lack of tahini. How ignorant of me.
And then I realized the magic of it all. Tahini is such a significant ingredient on its own. For tahini to be paired with other ingredients means that it greatly complements all of those flavors.
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Is Tahini good for weight loss?
When you turn toasted sesame seeds into a paste, it creates a delicious, savory, bitter and nutty flavor. This is how tahini paste is made.
Tahini has several health benefits. It is rich in healthy, nutritious fat and can also be used as a replacement for nut butters such as peanut butter or cashew butter. Since it has a more savory note to it, it could be added to salad dressings and different sauces. It has powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory components.
But you lose weight with this special ingredient? Too much of something isn’t always good is what I believe in. If you have too much of this healthy ingredient, you won’t always get the best results. However, if your goal is to have a healthier diet that will lead to healthy weight loss, tahini is a really good addition to your diet.
Tahini is carbohydrates-free so it’s perfect for the keto diet!
Is tahini and tahina the same thing?
Have you ever seen the word “tahina” in a menu and thought to yourself, “Wow! Tahini has so many names!”
Well, you’re kind of not wrong and it could be very confusing. Tahini is the paste that is used to make tahina, the sauce.
Tahini is made with roasted sesame seeds and some added healthy fat to aid the seed into turning into a paste.
Tahina is a sauce made with tahini paste with added spices, citrus and herbs.
Is tahini and hummus the same thing?
Some think that tahini and hummus is the same thing. I assure you, they’re not.
Earlier, I mentioned that I’ve put this ingredient off for so long simply because I was intimidated by it. I learned that it’s not at all intimidating.
Tahini is a sesame paste that complements the main ingredient of hummus, which are chickpeas. Hummus is a dip that is made out of hummus, garlic, olive oil, tahini, sometimes spices and sometimes herbs. I learned the hard way that tahini was the missing tickle in my tongue whenever I would make hummus.
The more tahini you add to your hummus, the richer it will be. A lot of Middle Eastern hummus recipes use generous amounts of tahini and this is why they have the best hummus!
Tahini vs Tzatziki
Tahini is a sesame paste used to make Tahina sauce. Tahina sauce is a tahini-based sauce with citrus, herbs, spices and olive oil. This sauce is used on wraps, some meats, etc.
Tzatziki is a yoghurt-based sauce with cucumber, garlic, herbs and olive oil. It is mostly eaten with strongly marinated meats and other dishes. The lightness of this sauce compliments the flavors of the meat and the whole experience in your mouth creates a perfect meal!
The best part about these sauces is that they’re so light and complementing to so many flavors that it could be used in anything.
Keto Friendly Tahini Recipe
Ingredients
- 0.2 cups sesame seeds peeled
- 0.1 cups olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat a frying pan to medium heat. Add the sesame seeds and stir/shake every now and then. Roast them until they have pinkish color. The more colorful the seeds become the nuttier the taste will be.
- Add the roasted sesame seeds to a food processor and mix it turns into a powder. Add a bit of oil and mix. Repeat until you have the desired taste and consistency.
- Season with salt.
- Serve and enjoy!
