Healthier Halloween Treats

We all know that Halloween and sweet treats go hand in hand. The children get an overload of sugar, which is not great for them and often results in hyperactive little ones! Don't get me wrong I would never say no treats in moderation, but I do think that we should try and encourage more healthier snacks.

Sykes Cottages have challenged me to come up with some treats that the children will enjoy just as much as a bag of sweets, but treats that are healthier. This was a challenge that I have enjoyed coming up with and the twins have loved the spooky themed food and helping me in the kitchen.

The spider web pizzas and the banana ghosts are great recipes to cook with the children. The twins had so much fun helping me make them.

This is what they have been enjoying...

Spider Web Pizzas

Ingredients

Mini pizza bases

Tomato puree

Dried oregano

Mozzarella

Black olives

1 carrot

Method

Pre heat the oven to 200C

1 - Place 1tbsp of tomato puree per mini pizza base in a bowl along with 1tsp of dried oregano per mini pizza base in a bowl and mix together.

2 - Spread the tomato puree over the pizza base.

3 - Scatter over the mozzarella.

4 - Using a peeler shave off fine strips of the carrot. Taking a paring knife, carefully slice fine strips of carrot.

5 - Arrange the strips of carrots in a pattern that resembles a spiders web.

6 - Halve 2 black olives and place one half down in the centre of the spiders web. Slice the other halves into 8 strips and arrange around the half of the olive, they will become the spiders legs.

7 - Place in the centre of the pre heated oven for 8 - 10 minutes.

Banana Ghosts

Ingredients

Bananas
Chocolate chips
Cake pop sticks

Method

1 - Cut the bananas in half.

2 - Take the chocolate and place on the banana as eyes and a mouth.

3 - Place the stick through the base of the banana and serve.

Mini Pumpkin Pies

Ingredients

Makes 24 mini pumpkin pies

Flesh of a carved out edible pumpkin

600g sweet pastry

1 tsp mixed spice

150g caster sugar

2 eggs

150 mls milk

25g butter, melted

White chocolate writing icing

Method

Pre heat the oven to 180C

1 - To prepare the filling boil the pumpkin until soft, once cooked, drain and leave to cool.

2 - Cut out discs of sweet pastry that will fit into a muffin tin and line the holders.

3 - Gently prod the base of the pies with a fork, line with baking paper and weigh down with baking beans. Place in the pre heated oven and bake for 10 minutes.

4 - Remove from the oven and take out the baking beans and baking paper. Return to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes until the pastry has a golden colour.

5 - Once the pastry bases have baked remove from the oven and allow to cool.

6 - Increase the oven temperature to 200C

7 - Take the cooled pumpkin and press it through a sift so that you get a smooth puree.

8 - Beat together the eggs, milk, melted butter, caster sugar and mixed spice.

9 - Stir the egg mixture into the pumpkin puree.

10 - Spoon or pour in equal amounts into the pastry cases.

11 - Place the pies in the pre heated oven and bake for 5 - 10 minutes or until the filling is starting to harden.

12 - Remove from the oven and allow to cool before drawing on a spider web pattern with the chocolate writing icing.

These are sweet treats made with pumpkin and the children will never know that they are eating it. These pies are very similar to custard tarts in flavour and were soon devoured by all!

Have a great Halloween and enjoy x

Disclosure: This is my entry into a healthier Halloween competition that is run by Sykes Cottages. I received a budget for ingredients.