The Trick is the Healthy Treat

Those who know me think of me as the red licorice queen. As a matter of fact, people who really know me usually come to visit and bring me Twizzlers or Nibs. My face lights up each and every time.

I have decided as an educated grandma, it is time to make healthy choices rather than succumb to my long-standing sweet tooth. Halloween has traditionally been my favorite holiday because I loved the diversity in the candy mix. In the years after my daughter Amy went off to college, I would go to my sister's house the day after Halloween to have a pig-out feast with my niece and nephew. We would eat all the candy they collected, leaving only treats that were healthy in the bag.

This year, the trick for me was to find a healthy treat. I am going to give out Nature's Path Organic Treat-sized Lemur Choco Drizzle Crispy Rice Bars to my little Halloweeners. To get the bars, log onto www.naturespath.com.

I also plan to dress up, visit my granddaughter and prepare the recipe below for her and her little friends. Apples are an important part of Halloween festivities. Rather than relying on caramel apples, try this Healthy Apple on a Stick recipe that comes courtesy of www.easy-kids-recipes.com.

Ingredients:
12 apples
12 popsicle sticks
peanut butter
raisins
dried cranberries
shredded coconut

Directions:
Rinse and pat dry apples. Remove apple stems and insert a popsicle stick into the spot that held the stem in each apple. Cover apples by spreading peanut butter all over the fruit. Roll in raisins, dried cranberries and shredded coconut.

What will be your trick or treat?