Halloween is a time of ghosts, goblins and sweet-treats you should avoid when you have diabetes. Fortunately, you can serve satisfying and healthy snacks to help you avoid temptation. Consider one or more of these 4 hors d’oeuvres for a Halloween evening when you have diabetes.
- Most people carve out a jack-o-lantern to create a creepy vibe in the window or on the porch. Don’t throw away the innards of the pumpkin, including the seeds. Roasted pumpkin seeds are a tasty delight to enjoy on Halloween night. Use a metal spoon to scoop out the seeds and pulp while you are carving the pumpkin. Put the innards in a bowl. Use your fingers to separate the pulp from the seeds. Throw away the pulp and put all the seeds in a strainer or colander. Dry off the seeds gently with a few paper towels. Line a baking tray with waxed paper and spread the seeds out on it. Let them dry for a few hours, preferably overnight. When you are ready to roast them, preheat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly coat another baking tray with cooking spray. Put the seeds in a single layer and bake them until they are light brown. This should take about an hour. Stir the seeds every 15 minutes. During the last 15 minutes, spray them with cooking spray. When they are fully baked, separate the pumpkin seeds into two groups. Season the first group with dried jalapeno powder for a spicy treat. Season the second group with cinnamon and nutmeg for a sweet snack with plenty of fall flavor.
- Going to the pumpkin patch is great exercise before Halloween. It also gives you a chance to pick up pumpkins for decorating and healthy Halloween hors d’oeuvres! Make your own pumpkin puree at home. Pick a pumpkin that is at least 3 pounds. Rinse the outside of the pumpkin, cut it in half, then scoop out the seeds and innards. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. In the meantime, cut the pumpkin halves into smaller pieces and peel them. Put them in boiling water until the flesh is tender. Puree them in a food processor or blender. This puree can now be used to make a savory soup. Chop up a ½ cup of onion. Melt 2 teaspoons of butter in a saucepan and sauté the onion until it is lightly browned. Add 16 ounces of homemade pumpkin puree, 2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth, 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg. Bring it all to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Puree the mixture in a blender and add 1 cup of low-fat or skim milk. Heat but do not boil and serve immediately. Sprinkle a few almond slices over the top of each bowl of soup.
- Make an irresistible individual Caprese salad that looks like it has eyes. Season olive oil with dried garlic and rosemary. Pour a small amount of olive oil on a plate and top with a large basil leaf. Add a slice of tomato. Get small, low-fat, low-sodium mozzarella balls and cut them in half. Buy olives with pimentos in the center and cut them in half. Put two half balls of mozzarella on the tomato and top with the halves of olive and pimento. You may need to cut a flat area into the mozzarella cheese for the eyeballs to stay in place. These scary red and green olive eyes will stare at you as you eat this healthy, delicious Halloween appetizer.
- Dare to make a creepy dish out of basic salad dressings and dips. Put out a dish of thick, fat-free, sugar-free dressing or dip. Use black olives to create a snake shape on top of the dip. It will probably take about a dozen olives, placed in an s-shape, to make the snake. Place a large piece of shredded carrot near the head of the snake to create a tongue. Peel carrots and carve them into a finger shape. Put a dab of low-fat cream cheese on a slivered almond then place on the tip of each carrot stick to look like fingers. Add some celery sticks and rice crackers to the platter to serve with this Halloween themed hors d’oeuvre.
Serve these Halloween treats with blood orange calorie free sparkling water in fancy glasses, with slices of blood orange on the rims. These festive Halloween hors d’ouevres will give you something satisfying to nibble on while you hand out goodies to the trick-or-treat crowd. With so many flavorful options, you won’t even think about dipping into the candy dish!
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