Tiny taste buds don't always respond well to gobs of garlic or spicy sauces. But it's never too early to introduce your little one to flavorful foods that are a foundation for a healthy, adventurous diet. Hummus, the popular Middle Eastern dip made with chick-peas and tahini, is a good source of protein and dietary fiber and is surprisingly easy to make. This kid-friendly version is made with orange juice and just a tiny bit of garlic to appeal to even the pickiest of little eaters.
Ingredients
1 15-oz can chick-peas (garbanzo beans)
1/2 cup orange juice
3 T tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 T olive oil
1 small clove garlic (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
*As always, Inhabitots recommends organic ingredients whenever possible!
Step 1
Drain the chick-peas. If possible, purchase chick-peas from a brand that uses BPA-free cans such as Eden Organic. Bisphenol-A or BPA is a known hormone disruptor that is part of the plastic lining in the majority of canned foods.
Step 2
Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, a heavy duty blender will do.
Step 3
Mix until very smooth (about 3-4 minutes), scraping down edges of bowl occasionally.
Step 4
Serve orange hummus with your child’s favorite vegetables (organic preferred!): carrot sticks, cucumbers, red pepper slices, cherry tomatoes…whatever you have on-hand. Great with a meal or for an afternoon snack!
Send it to School
Hummus also packs up nicely in a school lunch. Just fill a mini container with hummus, add some dippers and you’re ready to go!
Or spread hummus on a sandwich for lunch. Layer with cucumbers, tomatoes or lettuce – almost anything goes well with hummus!
