Freshsein
It’s a holiday people of all ages enjoy! However, adults do experience some headaches due to one particular thing the 31st October is most famous for…THE CANDY! It is completely unhealthy and makes the kids go crazy and ruin their teeth! But even if we put aside all of the sugar, fats and salts, these Halloween-themed sweeties contain a huge amount of chemicals it’s alarming!
This is the reason we chose to give to you these 5 alternatives that will make healthy food even more fun than the usual garbage. If you make your own healthy Halloween treats at home, you can also include your children in the process of making or just get some special, memory-making time with your loved ones. These ideas are also really good if you are hosting a party, they make incredible appetizers.
#1 – Candied Apples
Ingredients:
- Cooking spray
- 8 (4-ounce) Red Delicious apples, stemmed
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup light-coloured corn syrup
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup cinnamon decorator candies (such as Red Hots)
Method:
- Line a large baking sheet with foil, and coat with cooking spray. Insert 1 (6-inch) white dowel into stem end of each apple.
- Combine sugar, corn syrup, water, and candies in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 300° (about 8 minutes). Remove from heat.
- Working with 1 apple at a time, holding apple by its dowel, dip in syrup, tilting pan to cover apple. Turn apple quickly to coat evenly with syrup; let excess syrup drip back into pan. Place apple, dowel side up, on prepared baking sheet to harden (about 5 minutes).
Notes: Apples sold in bulk in bags, which tend to be smaller than those sold individually, are the ideal size for these treats. You’ll find white dowels at hobby and craft stores, or use wooden craft sticks. Store Candied Apples in an airtight container for up to three days. Recipe uses cinnamon candies (Red Hots are a good choice) instead of the cinnamon and red food coloring used in other versions.
#2 – Spiced Pumpkin Biscuits
Ingredients:
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup fat-free buttermilk
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
3 tablespoons honey
Method:
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a large bowl; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Chill 10 minutes.
- Combine buttermilk and honey, stirring with a whisk until well blended; add canned pumpkin. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moist.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 4 times. Roll dough into a (1/2-inch-thick) 9 x 5–inch rectangle; dust top of dough with flour. Fold dough crosswise into thirds (as if folding a piece of paper to fit into an envelope). Re-roll dough into a (1/2-inch-thick) 9 x 5–inch rectangle; dust top of dough with flour. Fold dough crosswise into thirds; gently roll or pat to a 3/4-inch thickness.
- Cut dough with a 1 3/4-inch biscuit cutter to form 14 dough rounds. Place dough rounds, 1 inch apart, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400° for 14 minutes or until golden.
- Remove from pan; cool 2 minutes on wire racks. Serve warm.
Notes: This method of folding the dough creates irresistible flaky layers. To maximize the number of biscuits, gather the dough scraps after cutting and gently pat or re-roll to a 3/4-inch thickness. To make these biscuits extra halloween-ey, use icing to create fun shapes like cobwebs, ghosts or scary faces after the cookies have cooled down.
#3 – Strawberry Ghosts
Ingredients:
- 1 pound strawberries
- 1 12-ounce bag white chocolate chips
- 4 tablespoons shortening
- Mini dark chocolate chips OR edible black marker.
Method:
- Rinse strawberries with cold water, gently (but thoroughly) pat dry with paper towels, set aside. Line a small-medium baking sheet (something that will fit in your fridge) with wax paper or aluminium foil.
- In a microwave safe bowl (or double boiler) melt the white chocolate chips with shortening and stir until smooth. Carefully dip strawberries into melted chocolate, turning all the way around so that all sides are coated with chocolate. Remove and allow the excess coating to pour off onto the wax paper to form the “tail” of the ghost; slide the strawberry back and set on wax paper to dry.
- Before coating has set, place two mini dark chocolate chips on as the eyes. For the mouth, cut off the tip of a mini chocolate chip and place on the strawberry with the bottom side facing up.
- Place in the fridge to cool.
Notes: If you are using edible black marker instead of dark chocolate chips for the ghostly features, simply wait for the white chocolate strawberries to completely cool and harden before drawing on them.
#4 – Choco Cheerio Tarts
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups Cheerios
- 1/2 cup pitted coarsely chopped dates
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup natural almond butter
- 1 9.7 ounce bar of chocolate
- 1/4 cup light coconut milk or heavy cream
You will also need a silicone pumpkin mould to create the desired shape. Note that other shapes can be used if you cannot find a pumpkin mould.
Method:
- For the dough/crust add Cheerios, dates, salt and almond butter to your food processor. Combine well for 1 minute. The dough should stick together when you pinch it.
- For the ganache, carefully melt your chocolate in the microwave or in a metal bowl over a simmering pot of water. Take chocolate off heat when melted and add coconut milk or cream. Combine well until creamy and smooth.
- For the assembly, place cheerios or press bits of dough into the faces in the moulds (eyes, nose & mouth.) Carefully cover face with a few spoonfuls of chocolate ganache – each pumpkin should be filled about 1/3 with ganache. Put in the refrigerator or freezer until firm, about 20 minutes.
- Press Cheerios mixture firmly into the moulds (over the chocolate) until you have reached the tops of the pumpkins.
- Chill again in the refrigerator for about 60 mins. Gently remove from moulds.
Notes:
- Add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice or chai spice to your chocolate or dough mix.
- If you don’t have Cheerios just use another unsweetened cereal.
- Instead of dark chocolate, use milk or white chocolate.
- Instead of almond butter try peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, pecan butter.
- For added flavour add peppermint, orange or coconut to your chocolate.
#5 – Boo-nana Pops
Ingredients:
- 1 medium banana
- 1 cup white chocolate
- 8 mini dark chocolate chips
- 4 popsicle sticks
Method:
- Cut banana in half lengthwise, then in half to make four quarters.
- Insert popsicle sticks into bananas, and freeze bananas on a wax paper lined cookie sheet.
- When the bananas are frozen, fill a coffee mug with chocolate. Melt chocolate in the microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring until the chocolate is melted and soft.
- Dip the bananas one at a time into the chocolate, scraping off the excess chocolate from the back of the banana, and place it on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Quickly add the chocolate chips for the eyes before the chocolate hardens (you have to work quickly here).
- Return to the freezer until frozen and ready to eat. Eat frozen.