Healthy Halloween

Culinate just posted a useful article about healthier options for Halloween. I like the suggestions of dried fruit, granola bars, and applesauce. For those who live in a place where packaging is an important tool for parents to trust that treats are safe to eat, I agree with this article's perspective. 

If you have the opportunity to hand out home-made treats, I encourage you to try one or two of these recipes for tomorrow night's festivities. 

Regardless, click here for recipes to prepare a simple, healing soup this week. This practice will help to balance any challenges you are experiencing.

Easy Granola Bars

You will need:

• 1/4½cup dried, unsweetened dates, raisins, apricots (choose any combination of these)

• 1/2½cup walnuts, pecans, almonds (choose any combination of these) - toasted and coarsely chopped

• 1 cup nut butter (almond, cashew, peanut butter or a combination of these)

• 1/4¼cup honey

• 1/4 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• Pinch salt

• 1 cup rolled oats

Boil 2 cups water. As water boils, coarsely chop all dried fruit and place it in a small mixing bowl.

Pour boiling water over fruit. Soak for 15 minutes and drain.

Meanwhile, mix honey, nut butter, coconut, cinnamon, salt and oats in a medium mixing bowl.

Chop walnuts/almonds and pumpkin seeds.

Toast all seeds and nuts. Add to mixing bowl and mix together.

Add soaked dried fruit to the above ingredients.

Oil a glass baking dish: 7×11″ is a good size.

While the mixture is still warm, press it flat into the dish with wax paper. Chill for 1 hour.

Slice into squares. 

Cover with plastic wrap or store in baking dish in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Sweet Potato Bread

Dry ingredients:

• 1½1/2 cups flour (spelt for wheat-free OR 3/4 cup rice & 3/4 cup millet for gluten-free)

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients:

• 1 egg OR 2 Tablespoons flax seed meal (vegan option)

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• Grated zest of 1 lemon

• 1/4¼cup olive oil

• 1 cup steamed, mashed sweet potatoes

• 2 Tablespoons unsweetened, whole milk yogurt OR coconut yogurt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Grease 8 or 9 inch pan with vegetable oil.

Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir together.

Make a well in the center, combine the wet ingredients and stir until thoroughly blended.

Incorporate wet and dry ingredients until they are well combined.

Pour batter into greased pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center tests clean.