Easy Ways to Make Healthy Halloween Pumpkin Treats

Halloween doesn't have to mean getting sick on sugary snacks, or loading up on fat. With a little care, you can create healthy treats which low on sugar and fat, and high on flavor. Kids will love these special treats, which are made with loads of fruit, pumpkin and healthier sugars. The trick is to replace white flour with whole wheat pastry flour, which is lower in gluten than regular whole wheat flour. Then both sugar and fat must be kept to a minimum; don't allow more than a cup of sugar per recipe. Butter, margarine and shortening can be replaced with canola oil or applesauce. There's no point in using nonstick cooking spray. It spreads CFCs in the atmosphere, and doesn't really work to keep things from sticking to the pan. Instead, use a very minimal amount of shortening. Any fat this adds to the recipe is negligible.

Check out my article on How To Make Cookies, Brownies and Cakes Healthy for more tips on how to make these conversions.

Here are a few healthy pumpkin-based recipes to get you started.

Important: do not use pumpkin pie mix for these recipes. Pumpkin pie mix is a prepared mix which contains added ingredients. Always use pure pumpkin puree.

Pumpkin Mulled Cider Punch Bowl

1 medium pumpkin
1 gallon apple cider
5 small cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
15 whole allspice
25 whole cloves
Combine the cider, cinnamon, allspice and cloves in a large six-quart pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered.

Wash and dry the pumpkin. Carve out the top section. Scoop out the inside. You can decorate the pumpkin if you feel like it. Get creative, and let the kids get involved. Just make sure that your pumpkin bowl is still worthy to hold the cider punch. Use non-toxic materials, and don't punch any holes in the pumpkin.

Carefully place the cider in the pumpkin bowl. Serve hot.

Low-Fat Pumpkin Cookies

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 t pumpkin pie spice
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 c applesauce
1/2 c sucanat (evaporated whole cane juice, available at your local health food store)
1/2 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 c pumpkin puree
1 c golden raisins
1/3 c nuts, chopped
Orange zest