Halloween this Friday! On a day devoted to candy, it's pretty hard to eat healthy. I say, indulge a bit! Be festive! Maybe tune in a little Vampire Weekend, paint your face, carve a pumpkin. Whatever makes you happy.
9 Green Halloween Treats
Healthier Halloween Treats
Think eating candy here and there is better than more at once? Think again. Nibbling throughout the night will continually soak your teeth in sugar and acid, and such exposure leads to tooth decay. You probably don't want to have a filling next time you're at home and your mom makes you go to the dentist. If you eat an allotted amount of sweets at one time and then brush your teeth afterwards, you'll decrease your chances of cavities.
Going to a party but don't know what you can possibly bring from your wee dorm or apartment? Some healthier and accessible recipes:
SUPER EASY
Dracula's Blood (At least you are getting calcium?)
1/2 cup cold low-fat milk
3 Tbsp. instant vanilla pudding
1 drop of red food coloring
Mix it all up. One box of pudding will make 4 servings of BLOOD.
Black Cauldron Dip (One way to trick ourselves into eating veggies)
Black food coloring
Ranch salad dressing
Prepackaged raw veggie sticks
Just mix until desired color is achieved. Or use green food coloring for "slime."
MODERATELY EASY
Bloody Popcorn Balls 
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
5 cups popped popcorn
extra butter for handling
Red food coloring
1. Place air-popped popcorn in a large bowl and set aside.
2. In a 2-quart microwave-safe bowl, combine honey, sugar, cinnamon and 1 tablespoon butter. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high or to 275 degrees F for 5-7 minutes. Add red food coloring and stir.
3. Pour honey mixture over popcorn and stir to coat with a wooden spoon then set aside to cool.
4. After thoroughly washing your hands first, butter your hands then shape popcorn into balls.
Makes 6 popcorn balls.
[From Public Health Seattle & King County]
 Jack-o-Lantern Smoothies (Pour this into festive cups/glasses.) 
1 cup canned sweet potato
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. unpacked brown sugar
1 small banana
2 cups of 1% milk (or your choice)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Cinnamon to taste
5 ice cubes or more as desired to increase volume
Blend it in a blenda! Serves about four 8-oz. glasses.
Estimated Stats per Serving: 148 calories, 1.4 g fat, 28 g carb, 2.3 g fiber, 6.8 g protein. Not bad for Halloween.
[http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=405794 ]
