I am sure I am not the only mom out there that gets a knot in her stomach at the thought of Halloween. In America, Halloween has become a day to celebrate eating candy! It has become a day that everyone thinks it is not only OK but mandatory to ingest large amounts of junk food.
The problem with candy
Beyond the empty calories, sugar and fat, the true problem with candy is that its ingredients aren't even real food. Candy is just a scientific mixture of chemicals, additives, coloring, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, trans fats, and refined sugars. This is stuff or bodies were never designed to ingest or recognize as a source of fuel. So it categorizes it as a toxin. Toxins which frustrate the immune system, cause inflammation, get stored in fat cells, and cause hormones imbalances (just to name a few).
So read the ingredients this year of the Halloween candy before you pop it in your mouth or throw it in your cart. If you decide to pass on the traditional candy this year or want to lighten you load here are some suggestions to celebrate and nourish your body this year!
Trick or Treat Goodies
Toothbrushes
Lara Bars (mini size)
Cliff Z-Bars
Halloween tattoo's
Glow sticks
Eyeball Bouncy balls
Mini Trail Mix Bags
Small Raisin Boxes
Fruit Leathers
Vampire Teeth
Spider Rings
Kids School or Party Treats
*Homemade Green Apple Sauce
*Natural Apple Cider: read the ingredients, Trader Joe's has a great cider
*Fruit Wands: skewer cut fruit on lollipop sticks
*Apple Slices dipped in nut butter and covered in raisins or chopped peanuts
*Trail Mix: granola, nuts, dried fruit, popcorn
*Pumpkin Bars: after cooked use a pumpkin cookie cutter to stamp out "bars"
*Stove top popped Popcorn, sweet or cheese: Place 2 TBSP coconut oil or olive oil and 1/4 cup popcorn seeds in a heavy skillet. Cover tightly and cook on medium, shaking until popcorn starts to pop. Lower heat and cooking, shaking, until popping dies away. Transfer to a large bowl. Dribble with melted butter of coconut oil and sea salt. Cheese popcorn- add 1/4 cup finely powdered Parmesan cheese to melted butter of coconut oil. Sweet popcorn- add 1/4 cup melted maple syrup to melted butter or coconut oil.
Party Food
*Sweet Potato Dips and toasted pitas: steam sweet potatoes, carrots, and onion until tender. Puree with sea salt and pepper. Cut whole wheat pita bread into triangles. Brush with olive oil and sea salt and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes until crisp.
*Baked Apples: Core apples and place in a baking dish. Stuff apples with a mixture of butter chunks, cinnamon, honey, raisins and walnuts. Bake 30-40 minutes at 375 degrees.
*Peanut Butter Apples: instead of Carmel apples... Stick a skewer in a green apple, cover in your favorite nut butter and roll in chopped nuts, coconut flakes or chopped dried fruit
*Chocolate Fondue and Fruit: 1/2 cut pitted dates (soaked), 1 tsp vanilla extract, 3 avocados mashed, 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 cup water, optional- honey to taste. Process dates and vanilla in a food processor until smooth. Add avocado and cocoa powder, process until smooth. Add water and process until smooth. Serve at room temp of chilled. Store in fridge up to 3 days.
*Candy Balls: In a bowl mix well; 1/2 cup granola (or oatmeal), 1/4 cup peanut butter, 2 TBSP shredded coconut, 1/4 cup honey, optional 1/ cup trail mix. Divide into balls and roll. Store covered in fridge.
*Homemade Soft Pretzels
* Brownie Balls: 1 cup walnuts or pecans, 6-10 pitted dates (soaked in water), 1 TBSP honey, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 cup shredded coconut. Put everything in a blender and mix. Shape into one inch balls and refrigerate.
Halloween Dinner
If you live close to a Chipotle... here is a dinner idea for Halloween night:
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