You have no idea how many different directions I went this month trying to come up with a recipe I loved using Linn’s whole sesame tahini.  I tried a winter salsa (many times, many variations with and without cranberries!), a sticky rice ball with dipping sauce, a new immune boosting soup with Linn’s tahini stirred in, and roasted veggies with a tahini sauce.  After having to eat way too many experiments, here’s a simple recipe that is divine.

Why was I struggling to find something that uses whole sesame tahini?  Whole sesame tahini is a nut butter made from the entire brown seed.  This is important.  As the sign in our store says, the whole seed has the outer hull too, and it’s the hulls that are mineral-rich.  It’s the hulls that have the lignans (the fiber).  To compare: two tablespoons of white (hulled) sesame seeds and tahini have only about 2% of our daily calcium requirement.  No magnesium.  No fiber.  Two tablespoons Linn’s whole sesame tahini yields 28% of our daily requirement for calcium, and 36% of our daily requirement for magnesium. And 4 grams of nutrient-rich sesame fiber.

So for a season that is busy, these are easy to make.  Not much muss.  A nutritional wallop.  Good for all ages!

Makes about 24 balls

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Yes, it will be tough going for a few minutes.  I like to use a wooden spoon.  Pinch off 1-inch pieces of “dough” and roll in hands.  Place in a single layer on a plate.  You can serve right away or refrigerate for another time.  The flavors marry if you let the truffles rest a couple of hours.

Note: Sometimes the weather makes this mixture a little more moist.  If that happens and your dough is too sticky, simply add more almond meal or hemp seeds.  If you don’t want to use one ingredient like hemp seeds, use more of another dry ingredient instead.

* Don’t skip the cacao nibs. They give a delightful, gourmet crunch.  You will love them in the truffles even if you don’t love them out of the bag.