Halloween Tricks & Treats

Did you know it's okay to enjoy some treats, not just on Halloween, but all throughout the year? Remember, it is okay to have some candy! If you find yourself feeling out of control around Halloween or other candy-centered holidays (or just when you are around a bunch of candy in general), ask yourself if you are restricting yourself too much the rest of the year. If you allow yourself some candy and sweets throughout the year in moderation, it won't be so tempting during these holidays since it's not "off-limits" the rest of the year. If you need help with this, please reach out to me for help at elenamccown@gmail.com.

If you do enjoy some treats all year round but still struggle around the holidays, here are some tricks to get you through this Halloween without eating ALL of the candy!

Some tips for controlling sugar cravings are:
​
1. Avoid buying a bunch of Halloween candy until the day of Halloween so you aren't tempted all month to snack on the extra candy hidden in your cabinet.
2. Enjoy some of your favorite pieces but make sure to pair it with some sort of protein to help level out your blood sugar levels. Example: Eat a piece of candy with your lunch or dinner or if you are having it as a snack, have some m&ms with a small apple and 1 Tbsp peanut butter. 
3. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, legumes and other complex carbs to satisfy your cravings and keep serotonin levels high.
4. Eat about every 3 hours throughout the day so your blood sugar levels don't drop. This helps you remain in control of your hunger and cravings.
5. Get your activity in (aim for at least 30 minutes of activity each day). Going on a family walk is usually a good and fun option! 

Instead of candy this year, maybe you could hand out all-natural fruit chews, gum, snack-sized packs of pretzels, popcorn, rice crispy treats, apple chips, trail mix, seeds, dried fruits, mini toys or allergy-free candy/snacks for kids who can't enjoy regular candy. If you want to have or hand out candy, opt for plain dark chocolate pieces, Unreal peanut butter cups, Wholesome or Yumearth jelly beans, gummies or lollipops if you want slightly healthier options. Again, it is okay to go with the flow of Halloween and just have regular candy too.

If you find yourself (or your kids) with an extraordinary amount of leftover candy, pick your favorites to keep and then donate the rest to the troops (most dentist offices will have some kind of program available by you). 

Here are some fun Halloween night dinner recipes for Zombie Brains, Bloody Eyeballs and Dirt Cups. They are all gluten-free, dairy-free and will keep you in the Halloween spirit.

​Spaghetti Squash Pizza (Zombie Brains)

Servings: 6
Prep/Total Time: 1 hour 20 min

Ingredients:

• 1 large spaghetti squash, cooked and strung (preheat oven to 400 degrees,  cut the squash in half, lightly grease a baking pan, place cut side down on pan and cook for 30 minutes,  use a spoon to lightly scoop out any seeds, then use a fork to shred the flesh into spaghetti-like strings)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup vegan mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup marinara sauce

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
2. Squeeze liquid from cooked squash before use.
3. Combine spaghetti squash, eggs and 1 cup vegan cheese in a bowl.
4. Pour into a lightly greased pie pan.  Press in the bottom and up the sides.
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until it appears firm.
6. Top with marinara sauce and the rest of the vegan cheese and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until cheese appears melted.
7. Serve with meatballs on top!

Meatballs (Bloody Eyeballs)

Servings: 4
Prep/Total Time: 35 min

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey, 99% lean
• 1/4 cup finely ground oats
• 1 6 oz can tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp basil
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 cup marinara sauce, low sodium
• 1/4 cup vegan cheese mozzarella
• 6 small black sliced olives

​
Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 425
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey with oats, tomato paste, basil, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper.
3. Shape mixture into evenly sized meatballs (I made 12) and bake them in the oven at 425 F until they are cooked and start to brown (about 15-20 minutes depending on your oven).
4. Remove the tray of cooked meatballs from the oven and allow them to cool slightly, spoon a tsp of tomato sauce directly onto each meatball and top with a bit of the cheese and an olive slice.
5. Return the meatballs to the oven and bake for 5-10 more minutes, until the cheese has melted.
6. Place on spaghetti squash pizza (zombie brains).

​Chocolate Pudding (Dirt Cups)

Servings: 4
Prep/Total Time: 5 min

Ingredients:

• 1 avocado
• 2 bananas, very ripe
• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 4 Tbsp Peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 chocolate peanut butter lara bar, broken into crumbles
• 8 gummy worms

Directions:

1. Puree all ingredients together except for the lara bar and worms.
2. Place the chocolate pudding in a clear cup and top with the crumbled bar and then the worms.