Healthy Halloween Treats

Halloween is right around the corner and I’ve noticed lately that along with the traditional trick-or-treating, people in my neck of the woods seem to be throwing more Halloween costume parties. It seems we’re all looking for an excuse to get together and have fun during this chilly time of year.

While sweet treats are always on the menu, people still appreciate the chance to offset their chocolate and candy consumption with a little roughage, so I usually bring some veggies and dip. I figure if I’m going to be the one to bring the healthy snacks, I might as well make them fun.

Witchy Parsnip Fingers

I spent a little time on the internet checking out how other people keep Halloween healthy, and I found some great ideas that I thought I would share with you. Preparation for both is really simple. All you need is a paring knife, a few Ziploc bags to pipe with and a vegetable peeler if you have one.

To make the Carrot and Parsnip Fingers, simply scrub the roots well (or peel if you prefer) and cut them to finger length. Use a vegetable peeler to thin out the fingertip end where the almond or bell pepper fingernail will go. To attach the fingernails, simply spread or pipe a small amount of hummus to the tip and stick on. I like to stick them in a bowl of hummus “mud.” Note: Parsnips are safe to eat raw but they are generally served cooked, so choose small tender parsnips for this dish or stick to carrots.

How to make parsnip fingers

To make the Alien Smiles, use a paring knife to cut a slit along the back seam of a snap pea and leave the peas in place. Making the teeth is as simple as piping softened cream cheese into little balls along the inside of the pea, and then use a finger or paring knife to smooth out each ball into a flatter tooth shape. You can add eyes (I used more cream cheese with capers), chive antennae, or even add red bell pepper or radish tongues.

Plenty of people think veggies are scary in general. Making them actually look scary is a great way to make them more interesting to adults and tempting to kids.