Only The Best Tahini Sauce/Dressing Ever

Adapted slightly from the Healthy Crush blog, a spicy tahini sauce and dressing that has become a recent fixture on Cafe Drake's fridge shelves. Honestly, when one jar runs out we pretty much set about making another. Boasting enough flavor to enliven even a plate of steamed veggies and brown rice, the sauce is excellent on sandwiches, broiled fish and as a dip for bread and slivered carrots. Try tossing it with cold and well-rinsed spaghetti or ramen for a bolder take on Noodles with Sesame Sauce.

The original recipe called for raw garlic which we omitted; its pungency tends to overwhelm other flavors in our opinion. Instead, Cafe Drake tossed in 3 cloves of milder and sweeter roasted garlic. Do as you wish and be creative: although it's absolute perfection as is, the sauce can be taken in different directions with a few creative twists. We've loved it with a handful of sunflower seeds thrown in the blender, or add 1 roasted red bell pepper for color and extra richness without the fat.

Here's how:

Throw all of this in a blender and blend until smooth. That's it.

• 2 tbsp tahini
• 1 tbsp white miso
• 1 clove garlic (or 2-3 cloves roasted garlic)
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp tamari
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (rice vinegar is also great)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp maple syrup (honey or brown sugar are both OK)
• 1 pinch cayenne
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes