Fall Harvest vs. Halloween {The Switch Witch, Healthy Homemade Treats + Natural, Organic & Fair Trade Chocolates and Candy Ideas}

Willow Pond Organic Farm

How does your family celebrate?  Do you celebrate the Fall Harvest or Halloween?  Do you celebrate both?  How do you incorporate the two?  Does the Switch Witch come to your house for Halloween?  If you have time to share, I’d love to hear what you do. 

For many of us “Real Food” parents, Halloween can be an interesting time. 

Now that my daughter is in Kindergarten, Halloween is being talked about more.  In the past, Little Love has dressed up in costumes for Halloween and gone to see my mom, my Aunt and a few neighbors, but it’s never been for the traditional commercial candy/trick-or-treat.  I have tried to incorporate the Fall Harvest into Halloween with annual trips to pick organic pumpkins and apples, carving pumpkins at home and making a little party out of it, making homemade treats, and instead of commercial candies on Halloween, she gets little presents from my mom and organic chocolates. 

This year, since more and more kids are talking about Halloween at her school (she goes to a Waldorf school, they have a Harvest Festival and do not celebrate Halloween, so that helps some), I’ve decided to incorporate The Switch Witch.

There is a beautiful book called "The Switch Witch"{*affiliate} by Charity A. O'Neil-O'Kane that talks about a different way for families to celebrate Halloween (without the overload of commercial candy).  She is not a scary witch (which I appreciate), she lives in her house (which is more enchanted than haunted) with her cat Magic and has pumpkins and cornfields in her yard.  She visits homes on Halloween night where children with imaginations live, and she has the power to make a healthier Halloween.  I love this concept and this book.  The idea is that on Halloween night the Switch Witch can come and visit, take away the commercial candies (or some of them) and switch it out with healthier alternatives or treats, or even a special gift. 

* {Amazon Affiliate link included helps support this blog.  Price is the same for you.}

Little Love getting ready to choose some pumpkins.

In our home, we start to celebrate the Fall Harvest before Halloween.  My Little Love already got to go to our favorite organic farm, pick out her pumpkins and pick some apples (with me and her grandma/my mom), she looks forward to this tradition every year.  She celebrates the Harvest Festival today at her school.  As Halloween approaches, we will celebrate by carving pumpkins and having homemade treats.  This year I will probably make some gluten-free Owl-looking chocolate pumpkin cupcakes, some fresh fruit skewers, and maybe some caramel corn or caramel apples. 

Little Love and her little organic pumpkin.

Little Love picking some apples with her grandma.

Litte Love and Me

Wishing everyone a beautiful Fall Harvest and a Happy Halloween!

Need Recipe Ideas for Healthier Homemade Treats?

Here are some of my family’s favorites:

Spiced Pumpkin Smoothie

Honey-Sweetened Hot Chocolate

Spiced Pumpkin Tea (Chai – w/o black tea, caffeine free)

Slow Cooked Pears

Chocolate Fudge Sauce (to top your favorite ice cream)

Chocolate Pumpkin Cake (sprouted gluten-free flour & egg-free)

Mini Warm Chocolate Cakes

Chocolate Covered Frozen Banana Bites

Sprouted Cut-Out Cookies (use Fall or Halloween theme cookie cutters)

Need Ideas for Healthier, Organic, Fair Trade Chocolates & Candy?


Endangered Species Chocolate – Natural, Organic, Fair Trade, Ethically Traded

Milk and Dark Chocolates

Heavenly Organics – Organic, Sustainable, Fairly Traded, No Refined Sugars

 These amazing chocolates come in Mint, Pomegranate, Ginger, and Almond … my absolute favorite is the Chocolate Mints, they remind me of my childhood days when I used to eat Junior Mints.  The soft honey center is unbelievable.  Fillings are made with Raw, Organic White Himalayan Honey, Chocolate Shells made with Organic Unsweetened Chocolate.

Stirs the SOUL – Organic Raw Chocolates, Fairly Traded, Sustainable, Allergy and Gluten-Free, Unrefined Sugars

Chocolates are Banana-Fig-Currant Sweetened, Date Sweetened, Coconut Palm Sugar Sweetened, or Raw Honey Sweetened.

There are many flavors to choose from such as Blissful Dark, Spiced Chai, Mint, Orange Gogi, Cayenne Cinnamon, Honey Rose, Lavender, Coconut, Espresso, Hemp, Hemp & Maitake.  I have had the honey and date sweetened chocolates – the dark, spiced chai, mint, cayenne cinnamon and orange gogi flavors.  All were delicious.    

Yummy Earth – Organic, Gluten-Free, No Artificial Flavors or Colors, No High Fructose Corn Syrup, Real Fruit Extracts

Lollipops, Jelly Beans, Gummy Worms, Gummy Bears, Twist Wrapped Hard Candies.

Halloween Treat Recipes

Adorable Halloween Treats

Halloween food, haunted houses, tons of candy, scary movies... Hallooooooweeeeeeen is right around the corner!! When Oct. 31st rolls around I get all antsy and excited! I can spend hours in the Halloween store just browsing and visually party planning. There is just something fun about being spooked (although I refuse to watch scary movies) because weird things always happen around this time.

If you have a Halloween party in the works then here are a few quick and easy Halloween treat recipes that are great for kids parties or even for adults! 

Watch this video to see how I create all of these adorable Halloween treat recipes!

Halloween Googly Monster Cupcakes 
I love a unique looking cupcake and these googly monster cupcakes certainly fit the bill! Great for kids Halloween parties. (Thanks Taste of Homes for providing this cool recipe!!)

Ingredients:
6 chocolate cupcakes, prepared (I used black cupcake liners)
1 can of vanilla icing
Orange food coloring (or any color of choice)
1 cup of chow mein noodles
12 pretzels sticks
12 mini marshmallows
blue or black icing pen to make eyeballs (got mine from walmart) 


*NOTE:* If needed, clean up any running frosting off the cupcake paper while the icing is still wet.

Halloween Bones
These bones are just so adorable and pretty realistic looking if you take your time. (clearly I didn't) Arrange them in a heaping pile on a tray.


Ingredients:
15 preztel sticks
30 mini marshmallows
4-5 squares of almond bark (can also use white chocolate)


*NOTE* Be sure to clean up any extra almond bark on the bones. These bones will freeze exactly how you leave them, so try to get them as neat looking as possible before you freeze them. If you're a perfectionist, use a paint brush for a flawless finish. Be careful when removing them from the baking sheet. Store in the refrigerator.

Halloween Severed Witch Finger Cookies
These little boney, wrinkled, green witch cookies are so fun to eat! Make them look even more gross by adding red food coloring around the fingernails and the bottom with a food coloring pen. Or tint the "fingernail" dough brown or even black! (Use my homemade sugar cookies recipe if you have time, it taste much better than the tubed stuff)

Ingredients:
Sugar Cookie dough (can use homemade or store-bought. If using store-bought make sure you get the roll and cut-out kind, not the kind you slice and bake)
green food coloring

Bake at 350 for 6-9 minutes.
(cookies will look sorta undone when you bring them out of the oven. This will allow them to be chewy yet firm once cooled. Let them cool in the pan completely and then place the pan in the freezer for about 20 minutes to firm them up a bit.

*NOTE* Do a test run and bake 1-2 fingers so that you will know how much the dough will spread. that way you will know how thin you need to make your witch fingers. 

Be sure to subscribe to my email newsletter over on the right and be on the look out for my Halloween Edition newsletter filled with more Halloween recipes and tips!

Need more great Halloween recipes? Check out these other yummy Halloween treats!

Halloween Mummy Dogs

Halloween Mummy Dogs

This is one of my favorite Halloween recipes. Yummy sausages covered in buttery crescent rolls. How cute, quick, easy & delicious is this! You could also use hot dogs for the kiddies. I like to use different types of sausage links to jazz it up a bit. This mummy dog recipe makes a great presentation. This recipe comes courtesy of Pillsbury.com. LOVE THEM! Check them out for more quick & easy Halloween recipes.

Ingredients

8 hot dogs or hot links

1 (8oz) can of Pillsbury crescent rolls

mustard or peppercorn (for eyes)

Preheat Oven to 375

Step 1.) Unwrap the crescent rolls and join two of them together. You should have enough to form four rectangles.

Step 2.) Cut each rectangle into 10 long strips lengthwise.

Step 3.) Wrap 5 strips of dough around each dog to resemble bandages. Pull the dough lightly to stretch it as you're wrapping. Criss cross the dough to make it look more mummy-like

Step 4) Use your finger to create a space for the "eyes".

Step 5.) Bake for 13-15 minutes or until golden on the outside. Use mustard to draw on the eyes or insert peppercorns.

Tips* You could also lay a piece of cheese on your hot dog before you start wrapping it.

Make a dipping mixture of ketchup & mustard to serve with the mummy dogs.

Happy Halloween!!!

Halloween "Candy Corn" Cheese Bread

Halloween "Candy Corn" Cheese Bread

How cute are these candy corn cheese bread slices! When I saw this recipe being prepared at a preschool I thought it was just the neatest lil idea. This would go great with a spooky spaghetti Halloween dinner and a creepy crawly salad on the side. This Halloween recipe is easy, quick and pretty yummy at that!

Sorry for the crappy photos. I had to use a cellphone camera, but I really wanted to show you guys this recipe!

Ingredients

1 pizza crust

Gouda cheese

Sharp Cheddar cheese

Mozzarella cheese

olive oil

2 Tablespoons of Parmesan

1/2 t. garlic salt

1 Tablespoon of oregano

1 Tablespoon of onion powder

Step 1.) Prepare your favorite pizza crust according to the package directions. I used Chef Baryardee pizza crust.

Step 2.) In a bowl combine Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, garlic salt & oregano.

Step 3.) Brush pizza crust with olive oil and sprinkle on the seasoning. (This seasoning should be enough for two crusts)

Step 4.) Sprinkle on the cheese evenly in a circle. Place the yellow cheese around the outer edge, then a larger band of orange cheese and finish up with the white cheese in the middle. You want it to look like a candy corn when sliced.

Step 5.) Bake for 7-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. If your crust needs to cook as well, follow the cooking time on the package.

Let cool before slicing. Enjoy!!!

Halloween Bloodshot Eyeball Truffle Treats

Halloween Bloodshot Eyeball Truffle Treats

What better treat to serve up at your Halloween party than bloodshot eyeballs on a platter!! They may sound gross but I bet after the party is over there won't be any left in sight...no pun intended. These disgustingly delicious Halloween bloodshot eyeballs recipe is nothing but cream cheese Oreo truffles covered in creamy white chocolate & topped with an m&m. Quick, easy and soooo delicious!

Ingredients

2 rows of Oreos, crushed

1 8oz block of cream cheese, softened

1/2 lb of melting white chocolate candy coating

m & m's & red icing pen

Step 1.) Crush oreos and pour into a bowl. Add in the cream cheese and mix until combined.

Step 2.) Form the Oreo mixture into eyeball size balls and place on wax paper. Place in freezer for about 20 minutes to set.




Step 3.) Melt white chocolate according to the package directions.

*Note* I used regular white chocolate chips since I was going for a jagged eyeball look. If you want a smooth eyeball use regular white melting chocolate or almond bark. It's much easier that way.




Step 4.) Place a cold eyeball on the flat end of a skewer and dip into the chocolate mixture. Place on wax paper and place an m&m in the center. Put back into the freezer until hardened.

(Since I used white chocolate chips I had to dip it about four times to get it coated and I had to keep putting the chocolate back into the microwave because it kept getting hard. I eventually just packed the chocolate on with my fingers. Such a pain!)








Step 5. ) When the chocolate has hardened, draw squiggly lines on the chocolate with a red icing pen to resemble bloodshot eyeballs.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator



Happy Halloween!!!