Spinach and Garbanzos with Homemade Tahini Dressing

This is something I made when some of the girls I meet regularly came over for breakfast— and I didn’t want to break the no meat theme of the main dish–Shakshuka (which I will share within the week too).

This quick and simple dish is so flavorful yet easy to make. If you’re looking for real fast but healthy food, here’s a one of those that you can whip up in fifteen minutes or less.

Can be served as a side dish for 2 to 3 folks. To be the main event, you have to double the ingredients.

Spinach and Garbanzos with Tahini dressing

Prep: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Serves 3

Ingredients:

• 1 large red onion, sliced thinly
• 1 clove of garlic thinly sliced
• 1 cup of spinach
• 250 grams of garbanzos, boiled
• The juice of half a lemon
• About two tablespoons of tahini (recipe below if you would like to make it from scratch [I make it from scratch])
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a medium pan, saute the red onions and garlic in olive oil.

2. Add the tahini and lemon juice and mix well.

3. Add the garbanzos and the spinach and saute until spinach is lightly wilted.

Tahini from scratch:

Prep time: 10-15 minutes

Cooking time: less than 2 minutes

Makes about 1 or 2 cups depending on amount of olive oil

Ingredients:

250 grams of white sesame seeds

1 1/2 to 2 cups of Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Toast the sesame seeds in a cast iron pan or any non stick pan until lightly brown. Ensure that you keep moving the pan around and in and out of the heat of the stove to avoid burning. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
2. Once the seeds are cooled down, grind til it is either a coarse or fine powder (depends on what you like) using a food processor, spice grinder or blender. If you are using a blender, do this in small batches.
3. Slowly add the oil a tbsp at a time until it is incorporated into a nice paste. Add salt and pepper. You can whisk in more oil if you want a thinner tahini.