I always think of Halloween as the true start of the holiday season. After the costumes come off and the jack-o-lanterns blown out, the next two months seem to disappear in a blur. With parties to prepare for and events to attend, healthy eating can sometimes fall by the wayside. But instead of simply resigning to the idea, why not begin a few new healthy holiday traditions this year?

This easy oatmeal recipe is as tasty as it is healthy. Vitamins A and C from the pumpkin can help boost your immune system, fiber from the whole grain oats will keep you feeling full longer, and if you choose to add walnuts you’ll also get a dose of those all-important Omega 3′s.

Happy eating!

Pumpkin Oatmeal

1/2 c old fashioned oats

1 c water

1/4 c pumpkin (organic canned pumpkin works great)

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp brown sugar

walnuts or raisins if desired

-Combine in bowl and microwave 2-3 minutes.

Julie Lane, Treeswing School Liaison Volunteer

Roasted Carrot soup with Turmeric

1/2 lg onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

med. potato peeled and sliced

1 lb. carrots, chopped

2 1/2 cup water

2 sm. bouillon cubes (chicken or veggie flavor)

1/2 tsp. celery salt

a few shakes of “Spike ” seasoning

1 tsp Turmeric

1/2 tsp kosher salt/ ground black pepper

Creamy Yogurt Garnish

1/2 cup plain yogurt

2 tbs heavy cream

Heat a skillet with a a little oil. Sautee onion with a little salt as this helps release the water and lets it caramelize quicker. When it is just beginning to get soft add garlic and potato sautee the hell out of it, until it starts to brown.  Transfer veggies to a pot. Add water (2 cups) to pan and deglaze (get the bits off). Dump the water in the pot. Throw in the celery salt and bouillon cubes, Spike seasoning and some black pepper, set over low heat on another burner.  Add a bit more oil to the pan and toss in the Turmeric. Let the spice bubble in the oil, it sounds really cool. Add the carrots and sautee over med heat till slightly golden and glazed looking. Add carrots to the pot.  Add 1/4 cup water to pan to deglaze again.  Cook the soup about 20 minutes more.  When the carrots and potato are really soft (falls off a paring knife when stabbed) take pot off burner and let soup cool 5-10 minutes. Puree soup with a blender or a hand held immersion blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Whisk the yogurt and cream in a bowl. Put a few tablespoons in a baggie and squeeze to the corner. Snip a very tiny bit off the corner and use bag to make design of your choice on the bowl of soup. Alternately you could just put a blob of cream on the soup.

* Recipe contributed by Wenonah Michallet-Ferrier, mom of two and my dear friend. You can find more of her recipes in our new book, Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family.

I admit it.

I’ve got Halloween on the brain.

While having lunch at the deli of my local co-op, I was drawn like a moth to flame to a bowl behind the glass featuring an orange and black salad with an oddly un-Halloweenish name: Hijiki.

Call me crazy, but I think this could be a new Halloween tradition. You heard it here first folks.

Why do I so highly suggest it? Not only is it the perfect color (think: edible decor), it’s full of iron, protein, calcium and zinc!

Intrigued? Check out the recipe on PCC’s website.

Halloween may be all about the candy (for some) but it doesn’t have to be all about the sugar.

Many wonderful, natural and even good-for-you sugar-alternatives exist such as agave, molasses and date sugar; this week, I challenge you to give some of them a try.

PCC Natural Markets has a great online guide to natural sugars, including a chart with information on how to adjust recipes calling for conventional sugar. It also discusses the pros and cons of each choice. Read it and find out why honey is one of my all time favorites.

(Photo from www.pccnaturalmarkets.com)