There are a ton of nut and seeds butters out there now and I love it! I think it’s a healthy trend, but as with anything, we should be cognizant of where our food is coming from, how it’s being sourced, and how the effects are on the quality of the product. So when SoCo, which stands for Seeds of Collaboration, reached out to be about their tahini I was curious. Tahini has been around forever and predates all these nut butters you see on grocery store shelves. And I personally have grown up eating a ton of tahini because my mommy made falafel frequently. What’s interesting about SoCo is their business model, which helps contribute to building an Israeli-Palestinian collab. How cool is that?! Plus their seeds are all sourced and made in the Middle East. And you can really tell – the tahini is smooth (no separation), super delicious sesame taste and blends well with other ingredients.

Now that I’ve given you my scpheel on why I like SoCo, here’s the 411 on the recipe. When I think of the Middle East, I immediately think of something decadent and floral. On that note, I wanted to make a loaf (similar to a banana bread) but with Middle Eastern flavors and vegan! Thus the Orange Almond Tahini Loaf was born! The load is definitely more dense than what you would normally be used to, but is so yummy. ALSO! This was a rare moment where my Dad are his entire serving and LOVED it – no negative critique or suggestions for next time. If you know anything about my dad, this is a BIG DEAL, hahah!

• 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup SoCo Tahini
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 1/3 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 cup cane sugar
• 1 tsp orange zest

• 1/2 cup SoCo Tahini
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tbsp orange zest

Garnishings:

• 1 tbsp sesame seeds – lightly toasted
• 1 tbsp slivered almonds – lightly toasted

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees. Spray a standard loaf pan with baking spray and set aside.

2. Sift together dry ingredients in a large bowl, set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together wet ingredients, starting with tahini and ending with almond milk, until combined well. Using a hand mixer, turn on low and pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until combined. Add in sugar and almond extract. Mix until combined. Add in orange zest and using a spatula fold in.

3. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake for about 45-60 minutes until slightly golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

4. While the loaf if baking, prepare the glaze. Whisk together all of the ingredients until complete and set aside at room temperature.

5. Once the loaf is baked, allow to cool completely. Remove from loaf pan and set on serving dish. Drizzle with about 1/2 of the tahini glaze. Top with toasted sesame and almonds. As you cut and serve the slices, drizzle with some more tahini glaze. Enjoy!