Avoiding all those sweet treats and eating healthy on Halloween does not have to be a challenge.

Elizabeth Edelman, resident culinary expert and healthy eating guru at Diabetes Daily (http://www.diabetesdaily.com/recipes/), developed nutritious guilt-free recipes that celebrate the season, including healthy adaptations on chili, butternut squash soup, green pesto dip and baked apples.

 

Recipes credited to  Elizabeth Edelman of www.DiabetesDaily.com/recipes/

 

 

1/2 pound ground pork

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground turkey

1 onion, chopped

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

2 (14 oz) cans stewed tomatoes

2 cans red kidney beans (or equivalent of cooked dried kidney beans) 

2 cans cannellini beans (or equivalent of cooked dried cannellini beans)

1 jar Peppadews

2 jars Vlasic pickled cherry peppers

2 tablespoons good quality chili powder

Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

 

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 7-10 minutes.  Add the ground beef, the ground pork, and the ground turkey and season to taste with the salt and pepper.  Cook until all of the meat is cooked through. 

 

Add the crushed tomatoes, the stewed tomatoes, the kidney beans, the cannellini beans, the Peppadews with their juices, the cherry peppers only adding the juice of one of the jars), the chili powder, and the crushed red pepper if using.  Bring to a boil and lower the heat and simmer, cooking for about an hour or so, tasting for seasonings after about 30 minutes. 

 

Serves 10.

 

Calories: 472  


Carbohydrates: 52g
  

  Dietary Fiber: 14g
 

  Sugars: 10g


Fat: 16g
  

  Saturated: 5g
 

  Trans: 0g


Sodium: 604mg

Protein: 34g

2 halves roasted butternut squash


2 cups vegetable broth


1 teaspoon garlic powder


1 teaspoon onion powder


1 teaspoon curry powder


Salt and ground black pepper

Lime Creme, recipe follows

Lime zest

 

Scoop flesh out of butternut squash with a spoon. In a medium saucepan, combine broth, flesh of butternut squash, garlic powder, onion powder, curry powder, salt and pepper. Set pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer, about 10 minutes. Puree soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Ladle into bowls. Serve with a dollop of Lime Creme and garnish with extra lime zest, if desired.

 

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream


1/4 teaspoon lime zest


1 tablespoon lime juice

 

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, lime zest, and lime juice. Whisk to combine.

 

Entire recipe serves 4.

 

Calories: 65 


Carbohydrates: 14g


  Dietary Fiber: 0g


  Sugars: 3g


Fat: 1g


  Saturated: 1g


  Trans: 0g


Sodium: 285mg


Protein: 2g

 

2 15-oz cans of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup pesto

3 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large acorn squash

 

Cut bell peppers

Carrot sticks

Celery sticks

Cucumber sticks

 

Heat oven to 350°F.  Line a baking dish with aluminum foil.  Cut the top third of the squash off and remove the seeds with a spoon.  Place the squash cut-side down on the baking dish and bake for approximately 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool completely.  Trim the bottom of the squash so it stands upright and place the dip inside of the cool squash.  Arrange the veggies under the squash on a plate and serve.

 

Puree the beans in a food processor until smooth.  Combine the beans with the pesto and the lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  

 

Serves 6.

 

Calories: 246


Carbohydrates: 15g
  

  Dietary Fiber: 5g
 

  Sugars: 2g


Fat:  18g
  

  Saturated: 3g
 

  Trans: 0g


Sodium:  373 mg

Protein: 4g 

4 apples

1/3 cup brown sugar or sugar substitute equivalent

4 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Scoop out the core from top of the apple, leaving a well. Stuff each apple with 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 tablespoon butter. Place in a shallow baking dish and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, until sugar begins to caramelize and apples are tender.

 

Serves 4.