It’s no secret that I love hummus; hummus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Spread it on toast, bung it in a sandwich, dollop it on salad, use as a dip, and stir into just about everything and anything!
Now that its weaning time for my little one, I would like to introduce him to the wonderful world of hummus. Hummus is an all-natural food, which carries a number of awesome health benefits. Made primarily with chickpeas (AKA garbanzo beans), hummus is rich in protein, fiber, and iron, and is why it’s such a good choice to add to your selection of weaning foods for your baby.
Typically, parents have the green light to introduce hummus to a baby around the six to nine-month milestone. However, a baby’s intestinal systems are not fully developed, so certain ingredients that make up the traditional recipe for hummus, including garlic and tahini, may need to be excluded. Tahini, made from sesame seeds is also one of the top ten allergenic foods, so if your family have a history of food allergies, this is definitely one to omit until your baby is older and you can determine if it’s safe to eat or not.
I experimented and allowed my little one to lead the way and also added other wholesome ingredients, such as pumpkin and sweet potato, to add natural sweetness. I decided against using garlic after the first batch proved too much for his little taste buds. Spicier hummus with other added ingredients and seasonings could be introduced after the one-year mark.
Follow this simple recipe for a nutritional weaning snack for your little one!
Ingredients
– 1 cup sweet potato
– 1 cup pumpkin
– 1 cup chickpeas
– 1 cup carrot
– 1 tsp. lemon juice
– 1/2 tsp. tahini
– 5-7 tbsp. of boiled filtered water
– 1 tbsp. olive oil
Instructions
1. Peel, wash and roughly chop the sweet potato, do the same with the pumpkin and carrot and add to a pan of filtered water and bring to the boil. Simmer until soft.
2. Wash, drain and peel the chickpeas and set aside.
3. Add the sweet potato, pumpkin, chickpeas and a few tablespoons of the boiled water from the pan to a blender. Blend for until mixed.
4. Add the tahini and a little lemon juice with the olive oil. Blend until smooth but slightly textured.
5. Allow to cool and store in the fridge.
Top Tip: You keep the hummus in the fridge for up to a week. If you have any left over, you can separate into little containers, safely freeze and use as and when needed.
Photo: Pixabay
