Healthy Halloween Treats

Seasonal treats to satisfy your sweet tooth

Photo by Łukasz Nieścioruk on Unsplash

As a child, I always looked forward to Halloween, deciding on a costume and (obviously) trick-or-treating to gather as much delicious candy as I could possibly fit in my bag. I still enjoy the creativity of the costumes and having a few fun-size candies, but there are so many other delicious ways to satisfy your sweet tooth. I’m sharing a few of my favorites in this issue.

As a dietitian, I’m often asked about healthy Halloween treats. I even did a fun segment on this topic for Fox45 News in 2015!

My Five Favorite Ideas for Satisfying Your Halloween Sweet Tooth

Photo by Paige Cody on Unsplash

#1. Apple Nachos

Photo by Louis Hansel on Unsplash

Apple nachos are the easiest dessert and great for a sweet end to a meal for kids or adults. Simply slice apples and add your favorite toppings. A few of my favorites:

• Nut butters

• Ghirardelli Syrup or Stonewall Kitchen’s Sea Salt Caramel Sauce

• Shredded Coconut, Flaxseed, Chia Seeds or Mini Chocolate Chips

#2. Seasonal Fall Fruit Parfait

Assembling a parfait is super simple, and yet even I often overlook this as an easy sweet snack or dessert. Creating something that evokes all the fall flavors is fun, especially with all the options available at the grocery store. Combine sliced apples, oranges and pears with a seasonal Greek or Icelandic yogurt. One of my favorites is Siggi’s seasonal Pumpkin & Spice. Top or layer with your favorite granola. I would suggest Bob’s Red Mill Maple Sea Salt Homestyle Granola or my local favorite Michele’s Pumpkin Spice Granola.

#3. Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Muffins

Photo by Caroline Hernandez on Unsplash

Pumpkin muffins and breads are common during this season, but I think a good gingerbread muffin or cake is overlooked. While I was growing up, my mom made homemade gingerbread and topped it with a warm lemon sauce, which is absolutely delicious.

If you don’t have the time or resources to bake from scratch I would suggest using my favorite gingerbread baking shortcut: King Arthur Baking Company Gingerbread Cake and Cookie Mix. I like to bake them into muffins and incorporate dark chocolate chips, nuts or dried fruit into the batter for extra flavor and texture.

#4. Oatmeal Cookie Oatmilk Latte

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

I’m not a huge fan of the pumpkin spice latte craze that happens in the fall. I’d much prefer to make my coffee at home and add my own flavoring. If I want to keep it simple but still get some of those fall flavors, I’ll froth Silk’s Oatmeal Cookie Oatmeal and add it to my coffee (Ceremony brand is my current favorite coffee bean) or espresso. I like this particular creamer option because it froths beautifully and is slightly sweetened (4 grams of sugar per serving) but doesn’t contain any saturated fat.

#5. Apple, Pear, Cranberry Crisp

Fruit crisps are super simple and a great warm dessert on a cool evening. It’s easy to combine different fruit options or stick with a classic like just apples. My favorite recipe is my grandmother’s because the topping is so simple and I could put this together easily with ingredients I always have in my pantry and refrigerator.

Here are a few great fruit crisp recipes for inspiration:

• Ina Garten’s Pear, Apple, and Cranberry Crisp

• New York Times Gluten-Free Apple, Pear and Cranberry Pecan Crumble

• Cookie and Kate’s Pear and Cranberry Crisp

Looking for other creative ways to incorporate pumpkin into your day before the fall is over? Check-out another one of my throwback interviews for more inspiration.

Calling all home cooks!

We’re looking for time-honored family recipes for Thanksgiving to share with our community. They could be for appetizers, main dishes, side dishes, desserts, or drinks.

Send yours to alisonflourishnutritiontherapy@gmail.com. Look for a few in our next issue on November 17.