It's October. So, I'll say this early. Happy Health-o-ween!!! I feel like I am reaching with that greeting. I might be but that's not the point. Halloween does not have to be filled with all sugary treats. Here are some less sugary treats you can provide for your loved ones & you this Halloween.
I've never carved a pumpkin. I remember my Kindergarten teacher carved one. Then she fried the seeds and served them to us, the students. But to all of us have never carved a pumpkin, Do Not Fret. We can carve oranges. When I started researching healthy Halloween recipes this was probably the first thing I saw. I think they are so cute.
Jack-o’-Lantern Orange Fruit Cups
Recipe is found HERE
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
1. 8 small navel oranges
2. 1 small apple, chopped
3. 1/2 cup halved seedless red grapes
4. Slivered almonds and whole cloves
Instructions
• Choose which side of each orange will be the jack-o'-lantern's face; cut a thin slice from the bottom of each so that it rests flat. Cut another small slice from the top. Spoon out pulp. Chop pulp and combine with apple and grapes; set aside.
• Cut faces as desired; decorate with cloves and almonds. Spoon fruit mixture into jack-o'-lanterns.
Growing up, I didn't go trick-o-treating. After dinner, we went to parties. Until I was 7 or 8, my foundation church hosted a Halloween party. Not Neewollah or Hallelujah Night but Halloween. One of the elderly mission sisters was the witch. Without teeth, she could beat the kids bobbing for apples on a string. RIP Sis. Davis After those years, we went to parties at the Eastern Star/Mason lodge where my great aunt was a member. Once we got home my aunt would have popcorn balls ready. We ate those while our folks went through our candy. My great grandmother made them for her grandchildren. I always figured that was how my aunt learn how to make them. I know many people who make popcorn balls. They put a range of treats from candy-coated chocolate to white chocolate pretzels in them. I found a recipes that put raisins in them. Maybe the popcorn ball makers will try this recipe.
Caramel-Raisin Popcorn Balls
HERE is the Recipe
Yields: 12 (2-inch) balls
Ingredients
• 6 heaping cups popped corn
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup reduced-calorie light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup finely chopped raisins
Instructions
1. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Prepare a medium bowl of ice water. Put popcorn in large bowl.
2. Combine brown sugar, corn syrup and butter in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. As soon as the syrup starts to lightly bubble, cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar is melted and the mixture darkens, about 2 minutes.
3. Immediately pour the mixture evenly over the popcorn; gently mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until well coated. Gently stir in raisins.
4. Dip both hands in the ice water. Working quickly, press small handfuls (heaping 1/4 cup each) of the popcorn mixture firmly into 2-inch balls. (Make sure each ball gets a little bit of the raisins.) Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet. If they seem too fragile, rinse hands with cold water and press and squeeze each ball again to help keep it together.
5. Let cool completely before storing. To store, individually wrap in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container.
Like the video, I don't like candy corn. It is just a bunch of sugar. They are cute but just sweet to be sweet. But since candy corn is one of the Halloween symbols, I have a recipe to make without raising blood sugar numbers astronomically high. Since Halloween will be on a Saturday this year, I think I might make this for my family. I don't usually cook on Saturday but I think I might make this recipe an exception.
Candy Corn Quesadillas
Ingredients
• 10 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas
• 1 rotisserie chicken, cut up and deboned
• 3 tablespoons Salsa,
• 3 tablespoons Sour Cream
• 1 ½ tablespoons Green Chilies (roasted, canned or fresh), chopped
• 1/3 cup onion, diced & sautéed
• 1 small yellow bell pepper, diced & sautéed
• 3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut the tortillas into a triangle, leaving the bottom uncut and round. Cut them in pairs so they will match together. Place all tortillas in a sealed zipper plastic bag to prevent drying out.
3. In a small bowl combine the salsa and sour cream; stir to mix.
4. In a medium mixing bowl combine the chicken, green chilies, onions yellow bell peppers and salsa/sour cream and stir to completely combine. Salt and pepper to taste.
5. Place one side of a pair of cut tortillas on a large baking sheet. Spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture onto the tortilla and evenly spread it over the tortilla. Place the corresponding tortilla on top of the chicken mixture. Repeat for all the tortillas.
6. Sprinkle separated the cheese to cover the top tortilla in a candy corn pattern: white for the tip, dark orange for the middle (the largest section) and light orange for the top. Cover the whole tortilla. Repeat for the remaining quesadillas.
7. Place quesadillas in the oven. Bake until the cheese has totally melted but don’t over bake until the cheese is thin and runny (about 5 minutes). Remove from oven, trim any extra cheese if desired and serve.
Here are some Healthy Halloween Tips
• Procrastinate - Purchase Halloween candy the day of trick or treat to avoid temptation. Buy less than what you think you will need to avoid leftovers and purchase candies that you do not like, if you still have leftovers place them out of sight. If you really have a hard time with temptation choose to pass out non-candy treats such as bouncy balls, spider rings, pencils, erasers, bubbles or stickers.
• Eat Before You Trick or Treat - Serve a healthy family dinner before the fun begins, this way the kids will not be tempted to eat candy along the way. Sign a contract between you and your children regarding when and how much candy all of you can eat.
• Get Moving - Get some exercise by making this Halloween a fun family physical activity event. Set a goal of how many houses you will walk to and then stick to it! Wear good shoes for walking too!
• Safety First - Remember to stay in groups when trick-or-treating. Don’t allow your child to walk up to a house alone and always keep a watchful eye on where they are headed next. Use sidewalks when available, and use crosswalks when crossing busier streets. Smart safety tips to keep in mind:
-bring a flash light while walking,
-only go to houses with the porch light on,
-inspect candy before allowing children to eat it, and
-be on your way home before the street lights come on.
Alright, you guys have a fun October 31st, however you would like to spend it. Be safe!!!
As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms
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