KID FRIENDLY PUMPKIN RECIPES

Pumpkins are one of nature’s blank canvasses. They are best known for their ability to be carved into a myriad of artistic masterpieces, decorating the doorsteps of homes across America. However, this ever-versatile ingredient can also play the starring role in both savory and sweet foods—from soups and raviolis to pies and even ice-cream.

Not only are pumpkins extremely versatile in recipes, their nutritional value is often underestimated. Known as a superfood, pumpkins pack a punch of B-vitamins alongside their mellow, inviting, and quintessentially American flavor.

Here are three nutritious and delicious pumpkin recipes the entire family can enjoy.

Healthy Chicken Bites with Pumpkin

Add some fall flair to the proverbial chicken nugget by dredging them into a pumpkin puree before breading and baking. The kids don’t even have to know.

Ingredients:

·         2 skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

·         ½ cup all purpose flour

·         1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

·         ¼ teaspoon salt

·         ¼ cup pumpkin puree (if you used canned, make sure it’s plain pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling)

·         Water (a couple of tablespoons)

·         1 cup panko bread crumbs

·         Cooking spray

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

2. Line three small bowls next to each other, as if in an assembly line. In the first bowl, mix flour, poultry seasoning and salt. In the second bowl, mix pumpkin puree and water together until it is about the consistency of baby food. In the third bowl, pour in the panko bread crumbs.

3. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture, then coat with the pumpkin puree, and finish by enrobing in panko. Place chicken bites on cookie sheet and bake for 18 to 20 minutes until cooked thoroughly.

Cheesy Pumpkin Polenta Fries

Crunchy on the outside and creamy in the middle, these are a satisfying yet healthy alternative to fries. They’re not overly "pumpkin-y" so they appeal to both kids and adults.

Ingredients:

·         Cooking spray

·         2 cups low-sodium chicken stock

·         1 cup low fat milk

·         1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         1 teaspoon fresh thyme

·         1 cup yellow cornmeal

·         1 cup pumpkin puree (if you used canned, make sure it’s plain pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling)

·         1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1. Line a large 9 x 11 pan with parchment or wax paper, spray with cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a medium stock pot, bring chicken stock and milk to a near boil. (Don’t let it come to a full boil, as the milk will quickly boil over on your stove top.)

3. Add olive oil, salt, and thyme. Turn down heat to low and add cornmeal while stirring constantly to avoid clumps. Add pumpkin puree and cheese, continuing to stir. Cook on low for five to six more minutes.

4. Pour hot polenta mixture into lined pan spreading out to make an even layer. Allow to cool and then place in refrigerator for at least four hours.

5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

6. Cut the prepared polenta into long strips, like fries. Place "fries" onto greased cookie sheet and bake in oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. Serve alongside chicken bites for a healthy and delicious meal.

Oatmeal Pumpkin Bars

Complete your pumpkin-inspired meal with this healthy sweet treat, packed with B-vitamins and whole grains.

Ingredients:

·         Cooking Spray

·         2 cups old-fashioned oats

·         1 ¼ cups all purpose flour

·         ½ cup sugar

·         ½ teaspoon cinnamon

·         ¼ teaspoon salt

·         ¼ teaspoon baking powder

·         1 cup cold, unsalted butter cut into half inch cubes

·         2 cups pumpkin puree

·         2 eggs

·         1 teaspoon vanilla

·         ¾ cup brown sugar

·         ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Cut in the butter to the dry mixture until it resembles a course meal. Do not over mix, but leave some of the butter in chunks.

3. Pour half the dry mixture into the baking pan and bake for about 15 minutes until slightly browned.

4. In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin, egg, sugar, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. Mix thoroughly. Pour wet mixture onto partially baked crust, and sprinkle with remaining oat mixture. Bake until the topping is slightly browned, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Contributed by active.com

10 HALLOWEEN TRICKS AND TREATS

 1. Pumpkins

Pumpkins are great for a lot more than making jack-o’-lanterns. One cup of mashed pumpkin has only 49 calories and is loaded with vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene. It also has nearly 3 grams of fiber and 564 milligrams of potassium. Pumpkin also contains vitamin C, lutein and zeaxanthin (good for eye health), as well as iron and zinc.

2. Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are loaded with manganese, magnesium, iron, copper, vitamin K, zinc and protein. One ounce has 158 calories, 8.57 grams of protein, 1.7 grams of fiber and almost 25 percent of the recommend daily value for iron. Pumpkin seeds also have plant sterols that can help reduce the risk of heart disease and fight cancer. They are also a fantastic source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. Wash them, dry, and then toast them with garlic and onion powder and a bit of salt and pepper. They take about 30 to 40 minutes at about 300 degrees to toast.

3. Know What You're Eating

Hershey’s Fun Bar vs. Tootsie Rolls vs. Nestle Crunch: Each Hershey’s "Fun" bar has about 75 calories. A Nestle Crunch mini-bar has 60 calories, and just three Tootsie Roll Midgees have 70 calories. What about those Hershey's Special Dark miniatures? They’re each 38 calories.

Pez vs. Smarties vs. Candy Corn: One (15-tablet) roll of Smarties has 25 calories and 25 grams of sugar. The candy corn has 150 calories for 20 pieces. That’s 7.5 calories each--about the same as one almond, except that the almond is a nutrition powerhouse. One roll of Pez has 35 calories and 9 grams of sugar. And remember that many of these candies contain dyes that have been associated with hyperactivity in kids.

Twizzlers vs. Peeps vs. Now and Later: Each Halloween-sized pack of Twizzlers has 140 calories- along with red dye number 40. For eight pumpkin Peeps (32 grams) the calorie cost is 110, with 26 grams of sugar (about 6.5 tablespoons). The Now and Later has 40 calories in each small bar.

Tootsie Roll Snack Bars vs. York Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Patties: There is some misperception out there that York Peppermint Patties are healthy, but I’m not sure why. Each 13.3-gram patty has 50 calories and 9 grams of sugar. Tootsie Roll Snack Bars are also 50 calories each.

Tootsie Pop vs. Charms Blow Pop (with Gum) vs. Dum Dums: That’s 60 calories for both the Blow Pop and the Tootsie Pop, and only 19.67 calories for the Dum Dum.

4. Burn it

When you go trick or treating, don’t just sit in your car and drive your kids from house to house. Get out there and walk the walk. Expect to burn about 176 calories per hour during a casual stroll. 

5. Healthy Treats Exist  

Healthy treats that taste good really do exist. For instance, Ghirardelli 60 Percent Cacao Dark Chocolate Squares (10.75 grams each) have 55 calories, but they also have at least 0.75 grams fiber, 0.5 grams protein and loads of antioxidants.

And then there are Snackimals (www.worldpantry.com) made with organic grains. I also like Pumpkin Seed Cheddar Dr. Krackers (www.drkracker.com), which are made with organic whole-wheat flour. Eight crackers have 120 calories, 4 grams fiber and 6 grams protein. Along the same cracker lines there are also Mr. Krispers (http://mrkrispers.elsstore.com/) and Mary's Gone Crackers – Original Seed Cracker (www.marysgonecrackers.com )--for 13 crackers you get 140 calories, 3 grams fiber and 3 grams protein.

Popchips (www.popchips.com) are also tasty, and you get about 22 popped potato chips for 120 calories, almost double the number of fried or baked chips you’d get for the same number of calories.

And what about those delicious Triple Chocolate Chunk VitaTops? They have only 100 calories each, along with 5 grams fiber and other nutrients. Another good choice would be Brothers-All-Natural Freeze-Dried Fruit Crisps (www.brothersallnatural.com), which are nothing but freeze-dried fruit. An entire bag has only 39 calories. And last but certainly not least, Larabars mini-bars are lower in calories than other bars and are made with all-natural ingredients. They're available in Whole Foods and Kroger Supermarkets nationwide. The suggested retail is $9.49 for 12.

6. Use the Research

According to research done at Yale University and reported in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, children are just as likely to choose toys as candy on Halloween. For the study, seven households offered 284 trick or treaters between the ages of 3 and 14 a choice between comparably sized toys and candies. The results showed that the children were just as likely to choose the toys as the candy. How about these toys: pencils (go to http://rootsandwingsco.blogspot.com/2009/09/pumpkin-pencil-topper-aka-non-candy.html for a way to make cute Halloween pencils), bubbles, play dough, Silly Putty.

7. Swap It Out

The kids are sorting through their take, and they're loaded with candy or, in other words, junk. Obviously one day with candy is not so bad, but now you're facing weeks of candy abuse. Why not offer to swap the candy for something bigger, maybe something the child has wanted for a long time? Sound far-fetched? Try it and you’ll be amazed. I've seen it work several times firsthand.

8. Don’t Go Too Far Out

Don't buy Halloween candy too far in advance; that way you'll have less time to eat it before you give it away!

9. Don’t Enjoy

Buy candy you don’t really like so that you're not tempted to overindulge.

10. Fill Up

Eat! Make sure to fill yourself up with a nutritious lunch or dinner before trick or treating so that you’re less likely to dip into the candy bag.

Contributed by active.com