Halloween is such a fun time for the kids, and for the adults who think like kids – you know you are out there! Spooky costumes, scary movies, fun parties, oh and of course the TREATS!
We are definitely entering into dangerous territory for all of us healthy eaters who might JUST happen to have a sweet tooth (not that you know anyone like that do you?). I 100% admit to having a weakness for sweets, especially chocolate – and it’s hard to pass by any store right now without having some form of chocolate calling your name. AND to top it off, they are just mini chocolates, those hardly even count as chocolate do they? They are just too small, cute & innocent to have sugar, fat or calories in there, right?
Wrong!
The fact is those cute little bars tend to have 50-150 calories in each one, loads of sugar (if you want to catch the flu, Halloween candy-eating is the best way to do it!), yucky fats, and a whole bunch of scary chemicals that your body goes crazy trying to deal with. As you mindlessly pop open the wrappers and shove them in your mouth, your body is freaking out! It doesn’t know what the heck you are doing to it and starts to send you little signs that maybe you should stop. Mood swings. No energy. Fuzzy thinking or foggy memory. Colds. Flus. Upset tummys. Bloated bellys. Headaches. Sleep troubles. Skin erruptions. Aches & pains.
These are just a few of the symptoms that can pop up from having too many Halloween treats. Scary, isn’t it?
So, how do you avoid it, or at least reduce the amount of treats you eat? Here are my top 3 tips to surviving Halloween:
- Buy Candy You Don’t Like! Makes sense, right? If you buy your favorite chocolate (like, let’s just say KIT KAT bars…) then you are very likely to eat them, and even more likely to eat them ALL once you have started. Yes, let’s just say I may know this from experience. Instead shop specifically for treats that don’t have that same power over you. I’m not a candy fan. Chocolate yes, candy, not so much. Candy is much safer in my home!
- If you do so choose to eat a treat, ENJOY EVERY SINGLE BITE! Slow down, savor and really taste it. This will make you less likely to eat the whole box. Your mind will catch up to what your body is doing and realize it is all you need for now. I promise, this really can work!
- Make your own! If you are like me and chocolate is your weakness, go with it. Look for some healthier chocolate recipes and remember that it’s ok to have a little, especially if you know what is in it.
As always, I’m going to share one of my favorite recipes with you (chocolate of course), I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Happy Halloween!
Raw Chocolate Almond Butter Cups
Yield 12 Mini Cups
These are so good!
Ingredients
or the base:
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup rolled oats, ground into a flour
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1.5 tablespoons coconut oil, warmed if necessary
- 1.5 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of fine grain sea salt, to taste
for the chocolately goodness topping:
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (or 2 tbsp agave nectar)
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- pinch of fine grain sea salt, to taste
Instructions
Add almonds and oats into a high-speed blender and blend on high until a flour forms. Dump into a large bowl and break up any clumps with your fingers.
Add the nut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup (or agave), cinnamon, vanilla, and salt into the bowl. Stir until thoroughly combined. The dough should be fairly sticky like cookie dough.
Line a mini (or regular) muffin tin with paper liners or use a silicone muffin holder. Portion the dough into each muffin cup and press down until even and smooth.
To make the chocolate sauce: Whisk together the coconut oil, sweetener, cocoa powder, and salt until no clumps remain. Spoon the sauce over top each of the cups, distributing evenly. Garnish cups with sliced almonds if desired.
Place in the freezer in a flat area for 30-45 minutes, until firm. Pop out the cups & enjoy immediately! These are best eaten straight from the freezer but I also like them from the fridge.
Courses Snacks
