5 healthy Halloween recipes for a scrumptious spooky season

Halloween is normally associated with lots & lots of sugar, but that doesn’t mean you can’t eat healthy until the rush for candy!

Read on for five healthy Halloween recipes for a full day of festive celebration.

For breakfast, try this delicious Pumpkin Pie Smoothie Bowl

Sweetened with frozen banana & dates, this recipe has no added sugar, but it tastes just like a slice of pumpkin pie.

Makes: 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1/2 banana, frozen
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 pitted medjool date
• 2 tbsp peanut butter (or nut butter of choice)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• pinch ground ginger
• pinch ground cloves
• 1/4 cup dairy-free milk (I used almond milk)
• chopped pecans (for topping)
• sliced fresh banana (for topping)

Directions:

1. Puree all ingredients (besides toppings) in a blender until smooth. Pour into a bowl & top with banana slices & pecans.

Note: Feel free to add other desired toppings, such as granola, pumpkin seeds or walnuts.

Thank you Purely Kaylie for the delicious recipe inspiration.

For lunch, this Fall Kale Salad is a great choice

Filled with fresh fall produce like kale & sweet potato, this recipe is the perfect healthy, seasonal lunch option. The unsweetened cranberries add another punch of flavor, while the roasted pumpkin seeds are the perfect Halloween-themed addition.

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

For the salad:

• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled & diced into 1/2″ cubes
• sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 pkg fresh baby kale
• 1/2 cup fresh roasted pumpkin seeds (see Note) (or substitute for pecans)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened dried cranberries

For the dressing:

• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss diced sweet potato with olive oil & season with salt & pepper, to taste. Spread onto a prepared baking sheet & roast for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. To make the salad, top kale with sweet potatoes, dried cranberries, & pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with dressing & toss to combine. Serve.

Note: To make fresh roasted pumpkin seeds, slice open pumpkin & scoop out the seeds. You will most likely need to run seeds under cold water to separate them from the pumpkin guts. Dry thoroughly with a towel & then toss seeds in a large bowl with olive oil, sea salt & pepper, to taste. Place seeds onto a prepared baking sheet & roast in the oven at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, or until crispy & lightly golden.

Thank you Gimme Some Oven for the delicious recipe inspiration!

Need an afternoon pick-me-up? Try this Pumpkin Spice Latte

No need to spend money at a coffee shop! You can make this delicious pumpkin spice latte right at home, & it’s sweetened with pure maple syrup rather than refined sugar, making it a much healthier option.

Makes: 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp instant espresso
• 1 cup milk, warmed
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• pinch ground ginger
• pinch ground nutmeg
• pinch ground cloves
• 1 tbsp pumpkin puree
• whipped cream, for topping (optional)
• chocolate shavings, for topping (optional)

Directions:

1. Add espresso to warmed milk & froth to combine.
2. Pour espresso into a blender. Add remaining ingredients & pulse to combine.
3. Pour into your favorite mug, top with whipped cream & chocolate shavings if desired, & enjoy!

Note: You can also make this recipe with a cup of fresh coffee instead of the instant espresso. To do this, omit step one & just add all of the ingredients to the blender to combine.

For dinner, try this Harvest Bowl with Pumpkin Polenta

This dish is the epitome of fall! It has pumpkin, brussels sprouts, maple syrup, apples, kale, & more. You can make it vegan/vegetarian, or add your favorite protein. Grilled chicken or shrimp would taste great in this dish!

Makes: 2 servings (there will be leftover polenta)

Ingredients:

For the pumpkin polenta:

• 3 cups pumpkin, cubed
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 1/2 cups dairy-free milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
• 1/4 cup canned full-fat coconut milk
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup uncooked polenta
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp vegan butter

For the bowl:

• 1 cup Brussels sprouts, halved
• 1 acorn squash, sliced into rings
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped kale, massaged with oil
• 1 honeycrisp apple, thinly sliced
• 10 grape or cherry tomatoes

For the dressing (optional):

• 1/3 cup tahini
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch ground ginger
• pinch ground nutmeg
• pinch ground cloves
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 3-4 tbsp water, to thin

Directions:

1. To make the pumpkin polenta: Toss the cubed pumpkin with olive oil, rosemary, thyme, & salt & pepper. Spread onto the prepared baking sheet & roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, or until very tender.
2. Peel the skins off of the cooked pumpkin & combine in a food processor with the milk. Purée until smooth.
3. Transfer pumpkin mixture into a large pot & stir in the water & coconut milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, & then mix in the polenta. Cool, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thick, about 30 minutes.
4. Stir in the nutritional yeast & butter. Add salt & pepper, to taste
5. To roast vegetables: Toss Brussels sprouts & acorn squash with olive oil & salt & pepper, to taste. Spread onto a prepared baking sheet & roast in oven at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, or until tender.
6. To make dressing: Whisk together all ingredients.
7. To prepare bowls: Scoop polenta into the bowl, & then top with massaged kale, squash, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, & apple slices. Drizzle with dressing (optional).

Note: This recipe is vegan. Feel free to substitute dairy milk, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, & dairy butter for the almond milk, coconut milk, nutritional yeast, & vegan butter.

Thank you PureWow & Fit Mitten Kitchen for the delicious recipe inspiration!

And for dessert, these Pumpkin Pie Almond Butter Cups are dreamy

I know, you probably already have plenty of candy in your house from trick-or-treating. But, if you’re looking for a healthier candy option, this is the best choice you can make. The flavor is so incredibly rich – I honestly would prefer this over any store-bought option. The fact that it is sweetened with pure maple syrup & is vegan is just a plus.

Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 10 tbsp dark chocolate cocoa powder
• 4 tbsp pure maple syrup (I used pumpkin pie spice maple syrup for a little extra pumpkin flavor)
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 4 tbsp pumpkin puree
• 4 tbsp almond butter
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch ground ginger
• pinch ground cloves
• pinch ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. Line a cupcake tin with 8 cupcake liners.
2. Melt the coconut oil, & then whisk coconut oil, maple syrup & cocoa powder together in a small bowl. Divide the chocolate in half, & then fill the bottoms of the cupcake liners with one half of the chocolate. Freeze for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine the pumpkin puree, almond butter, cinnamon, & pumpkin pie spice in another small bowl. Top the frozen chocolate with this filling, & then cover the pumpkin mixture with the remaining chocolate mixture.
4. Freeze 10 minutes, or until ready to serve.

Thank you Chocolate Covered Katie for the delicious recipe inspiration!

Happy Halloween!

P.S. For more healthy recipes, follow my holistic health instagram page, @TylerDidraEvolve