Lemon-Tahini Dressing

It’s been a long time since I posted a recipe! Not that I haven’t been creating in the kitchen – I’m always doing that.  Just life.  You know how it is.  Anyway, I love tahini dressings but they are usually so high in fat.  Tahini, or sesame seed paste, is high in fat of course because seeds are high in fat.  Tahini, and other seeds and seed pates are very healthy but can easily be overeaten.  However, there is a way to use tahini in dressing, still get that flavor, and cut the fat.  The secret is in the BEANS.  Yes, beans.  They not only help cut the fat, they add creaminess, body, nutrients, fiber and protein.

I made this dressing with a salad in mind, but I ended up pouring some over my steamed kale and sweet potato, and it was tasty!  You can use any kind of soft, white bean.  I had made my own flageolet beans the day before because I like to have a batch on hand, but you can use cannellini, great northern, etc.  If you use canned be sure to rinse and drain them.  NOTE: I get a lot of my dried beans from Rancho Gordo. They sell the BEST heirloom beans!  You can purchase from their website at ranchogordo.com.

Minestrone Recipe – Another Easy & Delicious Crock Pot Recipe

Minestrone is easy to make, and there are a ton of recipes out there with different ingredients.  I don’t know that there’s anything spectacularly different about this one but I love it, and wanted to put it out there.  Feel free to play around with the types of veggies and amounts.  The basil pesto topping is a MUST!  You can find that recipe in Recipes on this site, or in the Forks Over Knives Cookbook.