ArcaMax

We hope you enjoy this previously published Halloween-themed Zola classic.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

I have always declared Halloween to be my favorite holiday. I like Halloween even better than Christmas.

My husband and I used to celebrate Halloween up BIG. We had huge parties. We think we will be doing that again soon but for this year we are laying low. We’ll just be hanging out with the trick-or-treaters this year. No big adult party.

It sounds like there will be a lot of little goblins marching around this evening. Forty-one million trick-or-treaters are expected to hit the pavement. That’s a lot of little feet!

The statistics show their parents spend in excess of a billion dollars on their costumes.

And did you know there’s twice as much chocolate sold for Halloween as there is for Valentine’s Day? We’ve hit an all-time peak of $90 million worth of chocolate is sold for dropping into the trick-or-treat bags.

That’s the part that makes me queasy. All that candy. Ninety million dollars is just for the chocolate. That doesn’t even count the other stuff. The little gummies. The hot pop rocks. All the other stuff is on top of the $90 million. And we wonder why we have a childhood obesity epidemic.

Well, for a few years now, I have gone my own route. I decided not to give out candy. I decided the smarter and healthier thing to do is to treat Halloween like a mini-Christmas.

So what does mini-Christmas mean?

Well, on Christmas the tradition is to give out gifts. So I give out mini-gifts.

At first the kids are shocked that there’s no candy in the basket. But then they see there are fun little toys. They giggle with glee as they try to make up their mind which little gift they want.

For this year’s basket I found a bunch of little wind-up monsters. I also found some tub toys that are little rubber ducks dressed in their own Halloween costumes. They are darling. You can see what I am giving out for Halloween this year by clicking on this link: http://youtu.be/L7jF3hqweDk

If you want to know where to get stuff like this for your trick-or-treaters follow my lead. I go to craft stores for the themed things. That’s where the little monsters are from and the ducks. There are lots of other things too. You might find themed pencils or erasers.

I also go to stores like Target and get little toys. You know how when kids go to a birthday party they are sent home with a little bag of teeny toys and treats? Well, I buy some of those. If they come in multiples in the bag I just cut open the bags so I save money. They don’t need a whole bag of treats; just one or two. They might be little cars or little stuffed animals. Stickers are a hit too. The options are pretty much endless.

Many times the parents are curious to see what is in the basket and they help their child pick out a toy. They thank me for not giving out more candy. The kids just don’t need all that. There are healthier options that are just as fun. When they get home the toy lasts more than a minute and doesn’t end up contributing to an eventual weight problem or a sugar rush that sends them bouncing off the walls.

So this is my contribution to a Healthier Halloween filled with just as much fun.

Cheers,
Zola

Today’s recipe is a treat for the kids and adults alike. I have given up caramel apples. They are chock-full of sugar. But I haven’t given up my love for the flavors. This dessert fits the bill perfectly and you’ll never miss caramel apples again.

Cinnamon Buttered Pecans (SUPER EASY)
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup of pecans
2 Tbl of butter
Cinnamon to taste
1 tsp of Truvia (stevia, natural sweetener)

Directions:

In a small sauté pan add the butter and begin to melt it. Then add the pecans and stir to coat them with butter. Sprinkle on cinnamon and the Truvia. Stir again. Heat until the pecans begin to brown a bit.

Serve warm or they will caramelize and harden.

I serve the pecans over the Fried Apples. Or put one third cup of ice cream in a dish and serve on top. You can also make a caramel apple sundae by putting the ice cream in, add the fried apples on top and then top with the pecans. You’ll never miss caramel apples again.

Fried Apples (SUPER EASY)
Serves 2 as a dessert. Serves 4 as a topping. Also see other serving suggestions.

Ingredients:

1 large Granny Smith apple cut into cubes.
3 Tbl of butter
1 packet of Truvia.

Directions:

Put the butter in a large sauté pan. Begin to melt it. Add the apples and Truvia and stir. Fry the apples on medium heat until they are softened. Some will begin to brown just a tidbit.

I serve this warm with the Cinnamon Buttered Pecans on top.