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

Yesterday, the third floor of Kempinski Hotel Beijing Lufthansa Center was lit in blue last night in honor of the seventh anniversary of World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD). More than 300 guests attended a charity dinner, which took place  from 6.30 to 9.30pm and was organized by Stars and Rain, China’s first NGO dedicated to serving autistic children and their families. There was a children’s choir, an exhibition of paintings by autistic kids, and an auction to raise funds.

Tadeusz Chomicki, the ambassador of Poland, announced that all donations would go directly the Stars and Rain Special Fund administered by China Charities Aid Foundation for Children. “Autism needs a lot more attention – not just in China, but all over the world,” he said.

The funds are intended to serve children with autism in four main areas: financial relief for families, training in basic life skills and professional skills, training teachers from underprivileged regions of China, and development and improvement of Stars and Rain programs.

Stars and Rain has planned a series of activities to take place in Beijing through to August under the theme, “Care for Children with Autism, I Am a Happy Giver.”

Other Beijing establishments are also getting in on the cause. One of these is Zhongjian, a private art gallery located in the suburbs of west Beijing. The gallery is currently showcasing artwork by autistic children.

Though WAAD only occurs once a year, these events are a reminder that for some, every day is autism awareness day and that being charitable is always a worthy cause.

For a full list of “Care for Children with Autism” activities, donations and volunteering opportunities, contact Julia Lim (julia@autismchina.org or 185 1032 3449).

Photos by Yvette Ferrari

Looking for events to fill the long holiday weekend? Out at 798, charity and art combine for a good cause.

A Bridge for Children International (ABC) is showing the exhibit Out of the Shadows – Bringing Migrant Children’s Artwork Into the Light this Saturday, September 10th from 5 to 9pm.

Hosted at Rain Gallery, the exhibit will feature 50 original pieces of artwork created by migrant children from all around Beijing, displaying the courage, happiness, hope and dreams of these disadvantaged youths. Migrant and orphan children will also be at the event for a limited time to see the works of their peers as well as participate in an art activity led by CAI (才) program volunteers.

This evening will also feature a silent auction on select artworks, food and wine from Mughal’s and Art of Wine, as well as a talk by guest speaker Frank Sun, Restaurateur and owner of Tribute in Hong Kong, Architect and Philanthropist.

The proceeds from the event will go towards A Bridge for Children’s CAI (才) Program. This program empowers migrant children with creative arts, sports and life skills activities, with 4 C’s in mind: Care, Courage, Confidence and Commitment.

A cover charge of RMB 100 will grant attendees access to the exhibition, food and wine, and three raffle tickets. The event is sponsored by Agenda.

Rain Gallery Dashanzi art district, 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区酒仙桥路4号大山子798艺术区

The Hutong in collaboration with Chi Fan for Charity are co-hosting a weekly summer charity dinner series as "an opportunity to get acquainted with the beneficiaries of this year’s Chi Fan for Charity event." 

The dinners are taking place through the rest of this month and into August and will feature Southeast Asian delights courtesy of local chef and martial arts expert Jun Trinh (Friday, July 29th) and Element Fresh and Flamme Chef Jeff Powell serving up "authentic Bocadillos" (Mexican-style tapas). Beneficiaries include the New Hope Foundation and the Dandelion School.

Click here for more details.