Healthy Halloween!

Halloween is a great excuse to mix things up in the kitchen. Cookies become ghosts, anything long and skinny becomes a witch's finger, and we can use pumpkin in everything. The possibilities are endless.

The holiday season for most people means lots of sugar and junk food with the constant stream of treats coming and going, but sweet treats don't always have to be packed with sugar and empty calories.

Our fitness friends over at Popsugar put together a lengthy list of healthy Halloween treats, and we've included some of our favorites here. Satisfied sweet tooth and no weight gain = a truly happy Halloween.

Pumpkin-Carrot Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour 
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1/2 cup brown sugar 
• 1/3 cup Earth Balance (or another butter substitute) 
• 2 eggs 
• 2 large egg whites 
• 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
• 2/3 cup finely shredded carrot 

CREAM CHEESE TOPPING

• 4 ounces light cream cheese, softened 
• 1/4 cup sugar 
• 1 tablespoon skim milk

DIRECTIONS 

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 15x10 inch jelly-roll pan with cooking spray. 
2. In a small bowl, whisk the flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, and baking soda. 
3. In a larger bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the sugar, brown sugar, and Earth Balance until crumbly. Add the eggs, egg whites, pumpkin, and carrots. Beat until well blended.
4. Add the flour mixture and mix until well blended. Spread onto greased pan.
5. To prepare cream cheese topping, mix together the cream cheese, sugar, and milk until thoroughly blended. 
6. Drop teaspoons full of topping over pumpkin batter and swirl and cut mixture into batter with a butter knife.
7. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
8. Cool in pan completely on wire rack before cutting into squares. Makes 48 squares. 

Believe it or not, each serving contains only 71 calories and 1.7 grams of fat. Plus, this dessert is high in Vitamin A.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 1/2  cups old-fashioned oats
• 3/4 cup brown sugar 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice 
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 
• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin 
• 3 tablespoons canola oil 
• 1/4 cup low-fat milk
• One large egg 
• One large egg white 
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional) 
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375, and line muffin tin with cupcake wrappers 
2. Whisk dry ingredients and spices together in a large bowl 
3. Add pumpkin, oil, milk, egg, and egg white to a medium-size bowl, and mix thoroughly. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. 
4. Fill muffin tins evenly, and bake for 15-18 minutes. 

These muffins are packed with Vitamin A and only have 11.2 grams of sugar. They make a great snack or breakfast on the go. 

Peanut Butter Protein Rice Krispies Treats 

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 cup brown rice syrup 
• 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1 serving (2 scoops) vanilla protein powder
• 8 cups brown rice crisp cereal

DIRECTIONS

1. Prep a 9x13 inch pan by lightly spraying with cooking spray.
2. Heat the brown rice syrup and peanut butter in a large pan over medium heat until liquefied, about 5 minutes. 
3. Turn off heat and stir in the vanilla extract and protein powder.
4. Quickly stir in the rice cereal until well coated.
5. Pour the rice mixture into the prepared pan. Press firmly and evenly in the pan using the back of a spatula. 
6. Cool in the fridge for an hour then cut into bars. 
7. Store uneaten bars in an airtight container (keeps longer in the fridge).

Ghost Pops

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup dried shredded coconut 
• 6 raisins 
• 12 mini chocolate chips 
• 3 bananas
• 1.5 cups of orange juice 
• 6 Popsicle sticks 

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut the banana in half widthwise and insert a popsicle stick into the flat end. 
2. Freeze for a few hours, then dip in orange juice, followed by shredded coconut.
3. Place two chocolate chips for eyes and a plump raisin for the mouth.  

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Drop us some links to your favorite Halloween treats in the comments.

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