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

Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Very lightly grease cookie sheets with a thin layer of shortening. Use a paper towel to spread, and wipe out any excess. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and spices together in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, beat pumpkin, applesauce, vanilla, sugars, eggs and orange zest with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add dry mixture and continue to beat on a lower speed. Stir in raisins and nuts. Drop by teaspoons on the cookie sheets, at least two inches apart. Bake for 15 - 18 minutes.

Low-Fat Tofu Orange Pumpkin Pie

Tofu is the secret to a silky, fluffy low-fat pumpkin pie. If you don't tell anybody, they'll never know the difference.

9 inch prepared graham cracker crumb crust
3/4 pound silken tofu
2 c pumpkin puree
2 t cinnamon
3/4 t ground ginger
1/2 t ground nutmeg
2 T grated orange zest
1/2 t salt
1/3 c water
1 t vanilla
1 c brown sugar
1 1/2 T orange juice concentrate, thawed

Combine tofu, pumpkin puree, spices, salt, water, vanilla, sugar, orange zest and orange juice concentrate in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into the graham cracker crust shell and bake at 350 minutes for one hour. Allow to cool thoroughly before serving.

Healthy Peach Pumpkin Cake

1 large can peach halves or slices, packed in juice
1 2/3 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/2 c canola oil
1/2 c sucanat
1/2 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 c pumpkin puree
1/3 c nuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Very lightly grease a nonstick 10 inch pan with a thin layer of shortening. Use a paper towel to spread, and wipe out any excess.

Drain the canned peaches, setting them aside to drain. Combine the whole wheat pastry flour with the baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.

In a separate bowl, combine the oil and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer. Add the eggs one at a time. Add pumpkin. Add the dry mixture and beat at low speed until combined.

Pour the batter into the pan. Arrange the peach halves and sprinkle nuts on top. Bake 40 to 50 minutes.

Tofu Pumpkin Mousse

10 ounces silken tofu
1 t grated lemon zest
1/2 real maple syrup
1/4 c freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground ginger
1/8 t ground cloves
1/8 t salt
3 c pumpkin puree

Place all ingredients except the pumpkin in a blender, and blend until smooth.

Add the pumpkin, and blend again. Transfer to a bowl, and add the remaining pumpkin. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed. Cover and store in the refrigerator until well chilled.

Pumpkin Nut Bread

2 c whole wheat pastry flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t salt
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 c sucanat
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c fat free milk
2 eggs
1/4 c canola oil
1/3 c nuts, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Very lightly grease a loaf pan with a thin layer of shortening. Use a paper towel to spread, and wipe out any excess.

Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together. In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin, sucanat, brown sugar, fat free milk, eggs and canola oil. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add the dry mixture and beat until well blended. Add the chopped nuts.

Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. Remove from the loaf pan, and permit the bread to cool on a wire rack before slicing. Sprinkle with a tiny amount of powdered sugar immediately before serving.

Try converting some of your own favorite recipes using this system. It's really easy, and the results are so delicious you'll forget they're healthy.