You might already know tahini as an ingredient in hummus, but did you know it’s great for everything from promoting better digestion to getting a good dose of plant-based protein to improving skin health and giving you that healthy glow?

Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds (think the sesame seed version of peanut butter) and is full of copper, zinc, iron, calcium, magnesium, B1, selenium, fiber, and protein. It’s one of my favorite foods, so naturally it pops up in my new cookbook, The New Nourishing, a lot. One of the reasons I love it is that it’s so versatile—it goes with both sweet and savory flavors, adds low-key nutty and bitter flavors, and brings lush, creamy textures to sauces, dips, and spreads. I use it on baked pears and socca pancakes as the base for a creamy maple cinnamon sauce; as a spread for toast with fresh figs and honey; in salad dressings of all kinds (creamy chipotle, herby ranch, and tangy miso-lemon); and in hummus, of course. READ MORE