Ever since I came back from my amazing trip to Israel, I’ve dreamed of all things tahini. Tahini is a staple ingredient in Israeli cuisine and it’s had my wheels turning as to how I can incorporate it into more of my recipes. (Keep a look out for more ideas in the coming weeks!)
For years, I only thought of tahini as being an ingredient you added to hummus. While that is it’s most common use in the US, it’s actually super versatile in both sweet and savory dishes. Tahini is sesame seed paste – just like peanut butter or other nut butters – but made from sesame seeds. Tahini is nutrient-dense (a good source of calcium, magnesium, B vitamins, and more) and full of good-for-you fats.
One of the tastiest treats I tried while in Israel was a dessert called halva. It’s kind of crumbly and usually made from tahini (or other nut butters) and honey (or another form of sugar). Halva is so delicious, and I pretty much ate it every morning of the trip. It paired so well with my iced coffee! 🙂
When I came home from Israel, I became even more familiar with tahini when I realized it was an easy way to get sesame seeds into my diet during the second half of my menstrual cycle. (I’m following a seed cycling protocol to balance my whacky hormones.) I started adding it to more and more meals and snacks and eventually played around in the kitchen and came up with this, oh, so delicious protein ball recipe inspired by the halva I enjoyed so much. This simple 3-ingredient snack certainly gave me that little taste of Israel I’ve been missing. I hope you guys enjoy it, too!
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup Churro protein powder (vanilla or cinnamon flavors would work too)
- 2 tsp honey
- Cinnamon to taste (optional)
Directions: Combine ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Roll into 5 balls and then sprinkle with cinnamon (optional). Place protein balls in the refrigerator to harden (approximately 1-2 hours or overnight).
Macros: P 8 C 9 F 13