Already spooked by the artificial colors and sugar in Halloween candy popping up in the stores? It is really so cruel that they start selling individually packaged sweets at the beginning of September – because really, who can stop at one. If it is becoming harder to bring your kids to the grocery store already, why not start planning for some healthy Halloween treats! There are lots of fun ideas made with healthy ingredients – and here are some of my favorites.
Maple-Sunbutter Candy
The original recipe for the number 1 favorite on my list, from a great site called Whole Nutrition Kitchen, actually only has 3 ingredients – none of which are refined sugar. This recipe makes small toffee like candies from a type of peanut butter substitute called “sunbutter” (made out of sunflower seeds) so it is nut free. Great for any little ones going to nut free schools! It would be fine to use peanut butter or almond butter instead if your kids and their friends are ok with nuts. Find the recipe here! http://www.nourishingmeals.com/2011/10/homemade-halloween-candy.html
Green Meenie
This cute recipe uses green apples, nut butter of your choice and almond slivers to make a crunchy monster mouth your kids will love. Great for serving at a Halloween party – use sunbutter as a substitute if nut allergies are a concern. http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/green-meanies-recipe.htm
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Do you have warm memories of collecting and roasting sunflower seeds as a child? Why not start a tradition in your household. My favorite seasoning mix is a pumpkin pie mix – sprinkle with cinnamon and a pinch of each ground ginger and nutmeg before baking. Pumpkin seeds are particularly rich in zinc, which can help boost immune function. Perfect for cold and flu season!
Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
A delicious low calorie treat made with pumpkin puree – packed with vitamin A and minerals. Try this delicious smoothie to boost your daily antioxidant intake – reminiscent of pumpkin pie without the pastry! Simply place all of the following ingredients into a blender, top with a bit of whipped cream if desired and enjoy!
½ cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup milk or dairy substitute (ex almond milk)
½ banana (keep some peeled, halved bananas in your freezer to chill smoothies!)
2 ice cubes
Honey to taste (~1 tsp, add slowly – you can always add more)
½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg
Apple Chips
What says fall more than warm apple chips sprinkled sparingly with cinnamon and sugar? Baking time is about 2h at a low temperature, and you need a mandolin to slice them thin enough. Check out this recipe and let the aroma of baking apples and cinnamon from this healthy treat fill your house. http://www.whatmegansmaking.com/2013/05/baked-apple-chips.html
As originally written by Dr. Sarah Penney, ND, MSc for ACE Nutrients, available here: http://acenutrients.com/healthy-fall-treats/
- Dr. Sarah Penney, ND, MSc