Nut butter owls help break up the sugar binge on Halloween
Eat fewer calories by choosing this healthy snack alternative
Kids are pounding the candy and, according to http://www.verywellfit.com, are eating more than 3,500 calories on Halloween. Adults are gobbling up tons of calories too. How many times are we grabbing a “mini” sweet treat displayed at the office or a spiked hot cocoa to get in the spirit? On average, each mini candy has about 70 calories per piece. Add ten pieces to the mix…you can do the math.
If you’re trying to keep the sweets in check, consider making a healthy plan for the day and sticking with it. Don’t eat mindlessly. In an attempt to weasel in something kind of healthy, I made a malleable peanut or almond butter ball. By adding some googly candy eyes and an almond for a beak, I made little owls for Halloween. They’re full of protein and oats, fun to play with and tasty.
Having something healthy besides all the sweets can create a balance that may help keep calories in check this holiday. Consider portioning out what candy you will eat for the day, put it in a cute plastic pumpkin for carrying.
Slow sucking lollipops or gum can keep you in the spirit while giving you a sugary blast. A tootsie pop has 60 calories, challenge yourself and be the first human to count the licks to the middle – this may even burn calories. According to Tootsie Roll’s website, (http://www.tootsie.com) a Purdue licking machine created by engineering students calculated 364 licks. Finding a slow sucking candy is a good way to consume less and still get that sugar fix. Enjoy the festivities and be good to your body.
Nut butter Halloween owls
1 cup almond or peanut butter
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1 ripe banana
1 ¼ cup oats
¼ cup chocolate chips
½ cup colored sugar (orange)
In a small saucepan, melt butter and mash in banana. Stir in oats and let cool for 20 minutes. Mix in chocolate chips. Form one-inch balls and flatten them out a bit. Roll in the orange sugar. Press candy eyes (you can find this in the baking aisle at the grocery store) into the ball and use an almond for the nose. Place in refrigerator to cool and harden slightly before serving.
If you need other ideas for healthier snacks, learn how to make Miller’s Halloween Carrot Toast or Skeleton Skins and Fry Fingers
Tracy Miller is a personal chef and caterer. She can be reached at Tracy@colorfulcooking.com.