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Archive for the ‘Recipes’ Category

Pumpkin Carving: One Step Closer to a Tasty and Healthy Snack

Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012

It’s time to start carving pumpkins!

Be sure to save the seeds as they make a great tasting and healthy snack. Pumpkin seeds provide our bodies with zinc which is perfect at this time of year to help ward off colds. We love roasting pumpkin seeds and trying different combinations of flavors. We always do some with sea salt, then we mix things up a little by using things like garlic salt and Worcestershire, or for a sweeter flavor we
sprinkle on cinnamon and nutmeg! It’s fun to get your kids involved and let them create fun combinations! We’ll share our favorite recipe and cooking method you!

What you’ll need:

  • Medium Pumpkin
  • Olive Oil
  • Sea Salt

What to do:

* Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut open pumpkin and scoop out the insides into a big bowl. Add water to the bowl to help separate the seeds from the stringy flesh (a lot of the seeds will just float up to the top!) and then rinse seeds in a colander.

* To make the seeds nice and crunchy we boil our seeds before putting them in the oven. You can skip this step if you’d like as it’s not essential. In a small pot add the seeds (for a medium pumpkin is around 1/2 cup) to approximately 2 cups of water. Add 1 tablespoon of sea salt. Bring to a boil and then let it simmer for about 10 minutes.

* Remove from heat and drain.

* Spread Olive Oil on the bottom of a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet then spread the seeds (try not to have the seeds touching). Bake on the top rack until the seeds are golden brown 10 -20 minutes depending on how brown you like the seeds.

*Take out of the oven and allow seeds to cool. Then enjoy this tasty fall snack!!

Happy Healthy Eating

Kia

***
Kia Robertson is a mom and the creator of the Today I Ate A Rainbow kit; a tool that helps parents establish healthy habits by setting the goal of eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day. Kia is passionate about creating tools that help parents raise healthy kids!

2012 Green Halloween Blogfest!

Thursday, October 18th, 2012

2012 Green Halloween® Blogfest

Halloween is fast approaching, and we here at Green America are doing our best to support a Green Halloween® – one that is healthy for you, your families, and our planet. Since we know that you care about kids, families and the planet, we’d like to invite you to participate in our Green Halloween® Blogfest that will be taking place from Wednesday October 24th to October 31st. We hope that our invitation inspires you to share your own ideas about having a Halloween that is both fun and healthy.

For this BlogFest we would like to put a spotlight on the health concerns that have grown around traditional treats that are handed out on Halloween. Halloween is big on fun, but unfortunately, it is also big on unhealthy traditions. Many moms and dads worry about the impact of this holiday on the health of their kids and the planet. There is growing awareness and concern for the connections between children with diabetes, food allergies, and obesity and the presence of processed ingredients, hidden sugars, synthetic chemicals, and artificial colors in our food system.

On the flipside of this, it is easier than ever to find helpful information and make healthy choices. Green Halloween proudly advocates for this and supports a Halloween that is easy, affordable, fun and oh yes, healthy. Green Halloween encourages families to give out healthier treats and non-food “treasures” to trick-or-treaters, and luckily, there are now many awesome options available this Halloween. Green Halloween itself has partnered with these great organizations, whose missions support the Green Halloween goals of showing families that it is possible to keep the fun, while losing the unhealthy, un-Earth-friendly traditions.

We hope that you will join us and share your ideas on what a healthy Halloween means to you. Share with us your thoughts and tips on:

  • How do you make Halloween healthier?
  • Why is it important to think about health when celebrating Halloween?
  • What the challenges are to making Halloween healthier and more Earth-friendly?
  • What are your favorite ways to “Think outside the {conventional} candy box” and provide alternatives to traditional candy? Do you do treasures, have traditions like the “Switch-Witch”, or provide healthy alternatives?
  • Your tips for managing the amount of the junk candy your children consume at Halloween?
  • How has your environmental ethic or interest in health framed your celebration of Halloween?

It’s not about telling parents how they should celebrate – it’s about inspiring them to make choices that make sense to their families, their budgets and their schedules. And when many families make healthier and more sustainable choices for Halloween – taking even the smallest of steps – big impacts can be made for the short and long term.

Please join us in celebrating a Green Halloween.

To participate you can:

  • Write your own post based on our questions. You are more than welcome to use GreenHalloween.org as a resource, clicking on the tags at the bottom of this post are a great place
    to start. We also recommend clicking on the links to our sponsors below as well. They perfectly exemplify what we are all about at Green Halloween and are a great inspiration.
  • Update a past blog post that you have written that fits with this topic. (Now is a great time to remind people about your work and bring a new audience in on your tips and ideas)
  • We can provide you with an original Green Halloween post for you to repost as is, or personalize yourself. (Just contact GreenHalloween@GreenAmerica.org for this)

Other Instructions

  • Post a link to your blog post in the comments below, so we can read it and promote it.
  • Green Halloween(R) is a registered trademark, so the first time it is mentioned in your post, please be sure to include the registration mark
  • If you are on Twitter, share your post on there. Please include the Hashtag, #GreenHalloween
  • Your Blogfest entry should mention that is a part of the 2012 Green Halloween® Blogfest, and link back to this original signup post so that people reading your post can find our other entries.
  • We encourage you to check out each other’s blogs, comment, and provide feedback.
  • Don’t be shy, any entry, no matter how big or small, is welcome to be a part of this.
  • Have fun, write about what you believe, and read the work of others with similar interests.
  • Connect to Green Halloween on Facebook and Twitter
  • And please feel free to pass this on to other bloggers you think might be interested.

What’s in it for you?

  • We will have a page on GreenHalloween.Org with links to all participating blogs
  • We’ll do our best  to support your post with Tweets and via Facebook, and of course you’re welcome to post on our Green Halloween Facebook page
  • If we receive media calls from anyone interested in hearing from bloggers, your name and blog will be added to the list (if you choose)
  • Grow your profile, increase your network, and share your work with a new audience
  • You’ll feel great having supported this effort to make a difference for parents and planet!

Any questions, requests for posts/photos/resources, or support are more than welcome. We are here to help! The best way to ask questions is: GreenHalloween@GreenAmerica.org

Lastly, We’d like to extend an invitation for you to join us for a #GreenHalloween Twitter Party on October 22 from 9-10pm EST. There will be plenty of inspirational ideas for those of you having trouble getting started on your post!

***
Green Halloween is a non-profit, grassroots community initiative to create healthier and more Earth-friendly holidays, starting with Halloween. It began in the Seattle area in 2007 with backers such as Whole Foods Market and was such a huge success that in 2008, the initiative expanded nation-wide. In cities across the country, volunteer coordinators are turning their city’s Halloween holiday
healthy and eco-friendly, but many are also raising money for their own, local nonprofit beneficiaries via the initiative. Green Halloween, as of 2012, is a program of Green America. Green Halloween is possible because of their partnerships with Honest Tea®, Lara Bar®, Stretch Island Fruit Co.TM, Endangered Species Chocolate, Plum Kids, UnrealTM, Applegate® , Cascadian Farm®, Surf Sweets®, Bitsy’s Brain FoodTMBrainard’s Natural Remedies®, and Glee GumTM.

Green America is a not-for-profit membership organization founded in 1982. Our mission is to harness economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace— to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society. We work for a world where all people have enough, where all communities are healthy and safe, and where the bounty of the Earth is preserved for all the generations to come.

Healthy Eating: Rainbow Veggie Skeleton

Tuesday, October 16th, 2012

Every year at our daughter’s school they have classroom Halloween celebrations. Families are asked to send in a snack for the class to enjoy, thankfully in our school there is a requirement that half the snacks be healthy, this helps to balance out all the sweets. Being the “Today I Ate A Rainbow” family we always sign up for bringing in a healthy snack and this veggie skeleton is one of our favorites! The best part is when I pick up our platter at the end of the day it’s always empty while there are still trays of cupcakes and other goodies still uneaten!

Here are the simple directions to make a Rainbow Veggie Skeleton:

You’ll need the following items:

• Head of cabbage or iceberg lettuce
• Zucchini slices (rounds)
• Bell Pepper slices (cross-cut)
• Celery stalks
• Sugar snap peas
• Carrots (peeled)
• Broccoli florets
• Cauliflower florets
• Cherry/Grape Tomatoes
• Healthy dressing of your choice!
• Olive slices

Step 1. Line half of small bowl with lettuce for the skeleton’s hair; fill with dressing. Place at one end of large tray or baking sheet for the skeleton’s head.

Step 2. Cut vegetables the arrange them on tray to resemble skeleton’s body

* We added the fake spiders for a little extra fun :)

Halloween parties can have a balance of sweets and health…by spending a little extra time you can make veggies just as fun as any junk food! You can also get the best bow stabilizer.
Happy Healthy Eating,

Kia

Kia Robertson is a mom and the creator of the Today I Ate A Rainbow kit; a tool that helps parents establish healthy habits by setting the goal of eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day. Kia is passionate about creating tools that help parents raise healthy kids!

 

Top Tips From Green Bloggers: How to Green your Halloween

Saturday, October 13th, 2012
by Lynn and Corey

Summer’s long over. School is back in session. And that means Halloween is knocking at your door.

We thought that in addition to reminding you to check out www.GreenHalloween for ideas, we’d pass on some tips from our fellow green bloggers.

1. From green blogger and independent crafter Becky Striepe, comes an idea for a simple Halloween scrap banner. And if you’re into banners, here’s a paper one we created last year.

2. Do you read Healthy Home magazine? If not, you should. You can get awesome ideas for all things healthy and green, like this BPA-free pumpkin puree that’s easier than pie to make.

3. Lots of parents today are opting out of masks and choosing face paints instead. But these can contain chemicals that you don’t want on your children’s skin. What to do? Make your own! You can check out our recipe here, and for more ideas, check out this article on Greenwala by Danika Carter, or this one from Diane MacEachern at Big Green Purse.

4. Great tips on avoiding GMO sugar this Halloween from My Healthy Green Family.

5. Emily Roach at Random Recycling loves roasting pumpkins seeds. Here’s her recipe.

6. From Robbie Schneider at Going Green Mama, what to do with that mammoth Halloween stash.

7. The Smart Mama, Jennifer Taggart, suggests using tee tree oil to keep your carved Jack-o-lantern from molding. And Danika Carter, from Your Organic Life says adding those little silica gel packets works well too.

8. And finally, Tamara Rubin, writing for DrGreene.com, explains how to avoid exposing your kids to lead during Halloween festivities.

What’s your favorite eco-friendly Halloween tip?

***

Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter and authors of  Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, and founders of Green Halloween®.

Fun Pumpkin Raisin Party Cupcakes

Tuesday, October 2nd, 2012

By Wendy

With Halloween only a month away and you’re trying to come up with fun party snack recipes the kids will enjoy but are also healthy. Instead of giving the kids a sugary snack, try raisins. They’re just as sweet as any other sugary treat, but they’re 100 times healthier with loads of antioxidants, potassium, fiber and tartaric acid that keep your digestive system happy. Eating ¼ cup raisins equals a single fruit serving.  With vitamin C and a ton of other vitamins, you’ll want to enjoy these all through the year.

Pumpkin Raisin Party Cupcakes- cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and pumpkin… all the spices used in these Pumpkin Raisin Party Cupcakes make me think of autumn!

 

What You Need:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup canola oil

4 eggs

1 can (15-ounces) pumpkin

1-1/4 cups Sun-Maid Natural Raisins

Decorating sprinkles

What to Do:

Preheat oven to 350º F. Line 18 muffin cups with paper cupcake liners.
Combine all ingredients except raisins in a large bowl.
Beat on medium speed until well blended, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in raisins. Spoon batter into muffin cups.
Bake25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes to wire rack to cool completely. Spread frosting on cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles.

Frosting: Beat until smooth 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/3 cup softened butter, 3 ounces softened cream cheese, 2 to 3 teaspoons milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add orange food coloring, if desired.

Shortcut recipe: Add 1-1/4 cups Sun-Maid Natural Raisins to a spice cake mix. Bake as package directs. Frost cupcakes with prepared vanilla frosting adding orange food coloring, if desired.

Makes 18 cupcakes.

 

For more raisin recipes like this, go to Sun-Maid Recipes. Sun-Maid has tons of recipes using raisins that you and the family can enjoy throughout the year.

How do you enjoy your raisins?

****

Wendy Yu is a digital marketing professional living in New York City. When she’s not using the power of social media to share ideas on how to be more environmentally friendly, she is exploring the city, trying local foods, and learning more about how she can reduce her carbon footprint.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Green Halloween® or our partners.