Part of our sharing on this blog will be recipes that are sure to entice your little one.
Our toddlers are in love with hummus- spread on whole wheat crackers, pieces of bagel, soft vegetables... it's always a hit! Ava has been known to lick the hummus off of each cracker. The added bonus for us: we always have a ready-to-go appetizer on hand for adults. I've learned that it's much, much cheaper and tastier to make your own.
Most hummus recipes contain tahini, which is made from ground sesame seeds. Sesame can be allergenic and many parents prefer to avoid it altogether for the first year- so here's a tahini-optional recipe to help you create hummus for baby! Whether you include tahini or not is up to you and your particular timeline. You can also take out the red peppers if you so choose.
This recipe is suitable for babies happily feeding themselves, as it makes an ideal dip for soft vegetables or pita bread, or drier hummus can be balled up for younger babies. Chickpeas (or Garbanzo beans) are legumes, and a great source of protein. The olive oil provides important healthy fats, and roasted red pepper provides vitamins C and A.
Happy Hummus Dip
Ingredients:
1 roasted red bell pepper (we use jarred, but you can roast your own)
1 can cooked low sodium chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup tahini OR plain whole-milk yogurt
1 small clove garlic
2 T olive oil, or more if needed
1/2 t cumin
Makes 2 1/2 cups.
Directions:
1. In a food processor or blender, combine the chickpeas, the roasted pepper, yogurt/tahini, garlic, olive oil, and cumin.
2. Process until smooth. Add olive oil as desired for smoother consistency.
Sounds great. I've been buying plain hummus at Sunflower and Max is gaining an appreciation for it. This sounds yummy and cheaper--gotta try it! Thanks ladies!
ReplyDeleteStacey- glad you (and little Max) can use this! It really is a great alternative. Feel free to play with ingredients (add lemon juice, add sundried tomatoes instead of peppers)- it's a fun one to change up!
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