Trick or TREAT!

October is here and that means that everyone is already thinking about what they will dress up as on Halloween. Fall is one of my favorite times of year and Halloween is possibly my favorite holiday. I love that it inspires creativity and self expression and encourages families and communities to interact and celebrate together. It is a fun and exciting night, but it's focus unfortunately has become more about candy than anything else. Sure, trick-or-treating is a once-a-year adventure for kids but it ends with them gorging on chocolate and sweets for the next month...at least! Not the healthiest message to send to our kids.

You don't need to keep your kids from trick-or-treating or start lobbying your neighbors to hand out apples and boxes of raisins to keep your family from the fun. Instead, follow a few of these tricks to make sure your kids get a Halloween treat!

1) Let your kids choose a few of their favorite pieces of candy from their baskets and then donate the rest. Many local dentists will buy or swap candy at Halloween and donate it to troops overseas through Operation Gratitude. Halloween Candy Buy Back will help you find a participating dentist in your area!

2) Find recipes that use candy such as snickers, peanut butter cups and M&M's and have a bake sale with your creations. Let the kids have fun with you in the kitchen to get them excited about the alternative use for their goodies! Let them use the proceeds towards a new toy.

3) Make Halloween night about spending time together (Part 1)! After trick-or-treating host a pumpkin carving party for the family or neighbors. Roast the pumpkin seeds with your favorite spices or flavors as a healthy treat for kids to snack on instead of candy. (If you haven't joined our newsletter yet, our October Recipe will show you how! Sign up on sidebar of this site.)

4) Make Halloween night about spending time together (Part 2)! Go apple picking with the family the weekend before and use the apples to make healthier candy apples together on Halloween night. Use honey or brown rice syrup instead of corn syrup, or follow this raw recipe from Renegade Health:

Raw Caramel Apples

• 1 cup dates (pitted and unsoaked)
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup almond milk (or other nut milk of your choice)
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil (optional)
• 1 dash sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or 1 inch vanilla bean, scraped
• 3-4 apples, depending on size

Preparation

• Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
• Start with 1/4 cup almond milk and add until consistency is such that apples can be dipped and the caramel sticks.
• Insert a popsicle stick into the center top of each apple.
• Dip in caramel sauce.
• Refrigerate until caramel solidifies

5) Avoid hiding candy and then using it as a reward when your kids help out around the house. This sends the wrong message. We should be encouraging children to make healthy choices because it makes them feel good, not allowing them to make poor choices so that they behave well. Instead offer them healthier alternatives such as fruit, trail mix or popcorn.

6) Use their collected candy in creative ways. Make gingerbread houses or ornaments with them for holiday decorations.

Keep it Fresh and Spooky!

- Jill

An apple a day...

Apples are good for you. You've heard it from the time you were a tiny kid... "An apple a day keeps the doctor away". But how do apples actually benefit your health?

Apples are a fat free, cholesterol free food, as well as a source of fiber. They are also a natural source of vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus and potassium. But it doesn’t stop there. Apples have also been shown to deliver antioxidants.

In addition to making a quick and easy snack, an apple is a great choice for providing fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals into your diet. Its filling-but-not-fattening properties make it great for people of all ages, especially when grabbing a snack on-the-go is all you have time for.

Apples...

1. Boost your immunity. Apples contain Vitamin C, which helps your immune system. People who lack Vitamin C in their diet have poor healing, bruise easily and may have bleeding gums.

2. Help prevent heart disease. Apples can prevent coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease because they are rich in flavonoids., which are known for their antioxidant effects.

3. Make a great portable snack. Eating an apple when craving for candy or chocolate can make the desire disappear since apples in itself contain sugar, but gives you only a fraction of the calories from say, a packaged and processed snack.

4. Are cancer fighting! Apples help to prevent ALL cancers. Yay!

5. Lower cholesterol. Apples contain phenols, which have a double effect on cholesterol by reducing bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol. Apples prevent LDL cholesterol from turning into oxidized LDL, a very dangerous form of bad cholesterol, which can be deadly.

6. Keep your teeth healthy. Apples prevent tooth decay, which is an infection that seriously damages the structure of your teeth caused primarily by bacteria. The juice of the apples has properties that can kill up to 80% of bacteria. The tough skin also cleans your teeth by scraping away plaque!

7. Contain 20% of your daily fiber. Apples are high in fiber, which help to keep your colon healthy along with keeping you "regular."

Keep it Fresh!

- Lauren

Fall Foods: Root Vegetables

The fall season is officially upon us. This time of year is marked by crisp, cool days, preparation and celebration, and an abundance of warming, harvest foods. As the temperature drops, our bodies require more concentrated, energy-rich foods like root vegetables, squashes, seeds and nuts. The fall is a great time to experiment with cooking and baking in your kitchen. While we have access to a variety of fresh produce in the spring and summer seasons, we have to plan accordingly for fall and winter. Look around. Appreciate your surroundings. Let the season's rich color palette inspire you and try adding some fall flavors, spices and seasonings into your next meal.

Eating locally grown food in accordance with the seasons helps to keep our bodies in balance and provides a deep connection to Mother Earth.

About Root Vegetables
The roots of any plant are its anchor and foundation; they are the essential parts that support and nourish the plant. Root vegetables lend these properties to us when we eat them, making us feel physically and mentally grounded and rooted, increasing our stability, stamina and endurance. Roots are a rich source of nutritious complex carbohydrates, providing a steady source of necessary sugars to the body. Instead of upsetting blood sugar levels like refined sweet foods, they regulate them. Since they absorb, assimilate and supply plants with vital nutrients, roots likewise increase absorption and assimilation in our digestive tracts.

Long roots, like burdock, carrots, parsnips and daikon radish, are excellent blood purifiers and can help improve circulation in the body and increase mental clarity. Round roots, like turnips, radishes, beets and rutabagas, are nourishing to the stomach, spleen, pancreas and reproductive organs and can help regulate blood sugar and moods, and alleviate cravings.

Sweet Potato Wedges Recipe
Speaking of root vegetables, this is one of my favorite recipes and you will see after you make, they are SO easy! Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of dietary fiber, protein, vitamins A & C, iron, carotenoid antioxidants and contain calcium. Among root vegetables, sweet potatoes offer the lowest glycemic index rating, because the sweet potato digests slowly, causing a gradual rise in blood sugar so you feel satisfied longer. It's time to move sweet potatoes to the GOOD carbohydrate list!

Ingredients:
4 small sweet potatoes
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Lightly oil a half sheet pan. Peel and cut potatoes into 8 wedges. Combine the oil, cumin, allspice, salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix well. Add the potatoes and toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer on the pan. Place pan on the lower third rack and roast for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are well browned and crisp, turning once. Serve hot and enjoy!!!

Welcome to Fall!!!

The transition from summer to fall has been pretty amazing on the Jersey Shore. September has graced us with warm sunny days and cool nights without frost. One of the many reasons I love September! September 21 marked the Fall Equinox....summer gracefully bows out and fall ushers in. The fall equinox celebrates the end of summer and the beginning of the harvest season. Just because the youthful days of summer have past, doesn’t mean the growing season has drawn to a close.

On the contrary, fall is the bountiful harvest! All the Jersey Fresh farm stands and farmers market should still be bustling with life and produce well into October. You can find apples, corn, eggplant, grapes, lettuce, okra, onions, squash and tomatoes through September. Cauliflower, cranberries, peppers, pumpkins, lima beans beets, broccoli, cabbage and collards through October!

Since the fall harvest is so bountiful, its a great idea to buy fresh produce from the farmers market in bulk. Don't worry we're not going to let you waste your beautiful Jersey Fresh produce! Most fresh vegetables can be easily frozen. Simply wash them, separate them into useable quantities, pop in zip lock bags and send them to the deep freeze! You'll be eating cranberries, beets and greens well into February! If you don’t have room in your freezer, or freezing isn't for you, canning is the way to go.

Now don't be afraid of a word like canning. It's not that hard and you don't have to have grey hair to try it out. There are variations in canning methods depending on what food you are canning but you can find everything you need to know at CanningUSA.com. Fruits and vegetables can be canned alone, as jellies, in syrups, in vinegars (pickling!) and don't forget soups and sauces!

I personally love to eat home made, hearty soups and stews throughout the fall and winter. One of my favorites is a Winter Squash Stew. You can easily double or triple this recipe when all the beautiful butternut, acorn and pumpkin squashes are in season. Any soup left-over can be frozen or canned!!

Winter Squash Stew
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil1 onion, finely minced2 cloves of garlic, finely minced1 winter squash, seeded, peeled, chopped (butternut, acorn, pumpkin, delcata) Veggie or chicken stock, 2 teaspoons curry powder, 1 ½ teaspoons cumin.

Directions:
Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until onions become translucent. In a pot place squash and fill with stock until just covered. Add curry powder, cumin, onion and garlic. Boil until squash becomes tender and remove pot from heat. Purée the squash until smooth in a blender, you can set aside some of the squash if you like a chunky soup or blend it all for a smooth soup. Add chopped fresh cilantro or parsley and/or toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish.

This stew also travels really well! Heat it up and pour it into your thermos and take a hike or go for a walk on the beach. When you're ready to take a break, you'll have sweet and delicious soup to warm your insides from the fall wind!