Hints For a Healthier Halloween

Recipes

Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or half whole wheat and half all purpose flour)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup low-fat milk
• 1 cup canned pumpkin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift together the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, and then add vegetable oil, milk and pumpkin. Combine the wet and dry ingredients with a few swift strokes (don't over mix). Fill greased muffin cups two-thirds of the way full and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins (1 muffin per serving)

Calories: 125

Total Sugar: 10g

Fat: 3.5g

Saturated Fat: 0.5g

Sodium: 220mg

Calcium: 50mg

Witch's Brew

Ingredients:

• 1 24 oz. bottle cranberry 100% juice blend
• 1 can frozen orange juice
• 1/2 gallon apple cider
• Grenadine

Mix first three ingredients together in a cauldron (or punch bowl) and serve in clear plastic cups, with Grenadine "blood" dripping down the inside of the cup!

For added fun, float funny face ice cubes in the brew: Half-fill and freeze ice tray (or muffin cups) with water, garnish each cube with blueberry eyes and a mandarin orange smile, and then fill rest with water and freeze again.

Pumpkin Dip

(from the Dannon Institute)

Mix the following ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons canned pumpkin
• 1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
• 1 tablespoon orange juice concentrate
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon (optional)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)

Dip in with graham crackers.

Makes 3 servings (approximately 1/3 cup per serving)

Calories: 70

Total Sugar: 9.5g

Fat: 1g

Saturated Fat: 1g

Sodium: 55mg

Calcium: 130mg

Slime

(For playing, not eating)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• Food coloring

Boil 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Add cornstarch while stirring. After that is mixed well, add food coloring and stir. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Make sure kids play with it on a plastic covered surface.

Originally featured at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (cspi.net) and reprinted with permission. Copyright © 2012 Meredith Corporation.