HOW TO HAVE A HEALTHY HALLOWEEN
Written by Ellen Hogan
TRICK OR TREAT! Whether you LOVE Halloween like Dara or are pretty indifferent like Ellen, odds are you have a festive party or small get-together planned with friends this weekend. Here are some of our favorite tips and tricks for this spooky weekend:
1. Drinking responsibly
It’s a saying that we see on every bottle, “please drink responsibly”. For some people, the best option is to not drink alcohol at all, but for others, celebratory weekends are a great time to enjoy a couple drinks. If you choose to drink, try not to over-do it. We’ve talked about hangovers before, but avoiding it altogether by stopping yourself after a couple drinks will make you feel better and remain in control of yourself (making you less likely to drunkenlye binge on ALL THE CANDY THAT EXISTS).
For the drinks you do partake in, try a lighter beer (if you like dark beer, Guinness is only 15 more calories than Bud Light with WAY more flavor) or a cleaner cocktail (maybe theme something with your costume, like an Old Fashioned or a Martini).
2. Sweet alternatives
If you haven’t tried Smart Sweets yet, you absolutely should! They’re a great alternative to your favorite sour candies like peach rings and Sour Patch Kids. Smart Sweets are much lower in sugar and carbs than conventional candy, but aren’t full of artificial sweeteners or unnecessary fillers like other low-calorie candies. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
For the chocolate lovers out there, try making your own peanut butter cups (recipe below) or healthier brownies made with black beans or avocado.
3. Salty alternatives
For healthier popcorn, throw 2 Tbsp of popcorn kernels in a paper bag and microwave for 2 minutes. When it’s done, spray with a bit of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. This is lower in fat and sodium, less processed than conventional popcorn, and super easy! You can also personalize it with your favorite seasonings, or drizzle it with melted dark chocolate and peanut butter (throw it in the freezer for 15 minutes, and the chocolate will harden to perfection).
Instead of regular french fries, buy some unprocessed frozen ones and bake them in the oven for about 20 minutes. Add some salt and a tasty dip and they will make the ultimate salty snack!
Healthy Peanut Butter Cups
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (ideally 70% cacao or higher)
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup natural peanut butter (ideally with only two ingredients: peanuts and salt)
2 Tbsp sea salt
24 cupcake liners
In a microwave safe bowl, mix chocolate chips and coconut oil. Microwave in 30 second increments--stirring in between--until the chocolate is MOSTLY melted. Stir the chocolate at room temperature until it finishes melting. Add about 1/2 tsp of the chocolate into each cupcake liner, smooth it out, and freeze for 15 minutes.
Once solidified, spread 1 Tbsp of peanut butter on top of the chocolate and freeze again for 15 minutes.
Finally, top each cup with 1 tsp of chocolate and a sprinkle of sea salt, and freeze for 15 more minutes and enjoy!
The coconut oil will help to solidify the chocolate, to make the peanut butter cups more shelf stable. But keep them in the fridge or freezer until ready to enjoy. Depending on the temperature, they’ll keep from melting for a few hours.
Happy Haunting!
