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Trick-or-Eat: Balanced Grub for Halloween Night

MDM Graphics October 20

Halloween night is all about fun, costumes and, of course, candy. But with all the excitement (and sugar), it’s easy to forget about real food. Between getting dressed up and heading out for trick-or-treating, sitting down for a nutritious meal might not seem like a priority, but it can make a big difference. 

A balanced dinner before the candy fest helps kids feel full for longer and can reduce how much candy they consume later. When you start the night with protein, fiber and healthy fats, it helps balance the sugar rush. 

Monster-eye Marinara 

Serves: 4 

Difficulty: Medium 

Prep time: 10 minutes 

Total time: 60 minutes 

This dish is a spooky and healthier twist on spaghetti and meat sauce. Using a mirepoix mix not only adds more vegetables to the dish, it also adds flavor. This meal leans on ground chicken for a lean protein. Juicy mozzarella balls wrapped in prosciutto and topped with pimento-stuffed olive “pupils” transform an ordinary pasta dish into something straight out of a haunted Italian kitchen.  

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil 
  • 16 oz. ground turkey 
  • 1/2 cup carrots, diced (or use a mirepoix mix in place of carrots, celery and onion) 
  • 1/2 cup celery, diced 
  • 1 cup yellow onion, diced  
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped  
  • 1/2 Tbsp. dried oregano 
  • ½ Tbsp. dried basil  
  • ½ teaspoon sugar 
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste 
  • 1/3 cup veggie or chicken stock or broth 
  • 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano 
  • Salt and pepper to taste 
  • For the eyes: cherry size mozzarella balls, pimento stuffed olives and prosciutto slices 

Instructions:

  1. In a large pan or stockpot, heat half the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, sear ground turkey until browned. Remove from pan and place in a bowl. 
  1. Add remaining olive oil along with the mirepoix mix – carrots, celery and onion. Cook for 8-10 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. 
  1. Add garlic, oregano, basil, sugar and red pepper flakes, cook for 1-2 minutes. Deglaze pan with stock or broth, scraping any bits off the bottom.  
  1. Add canned tomatoes, reduce heat to medium-low to allow to simmer.  Cover and allow to simmer 30 minutes.  
  1. For a smooth sauce, use an immersion blender or add to a blender and blend until smooth.  
  1. Add the ground turkey back and allow to simmer for another 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
  1. Serve with pasta cooked according to package instructions.  
  1. Prepare the eyeballs. Cut the olives in half. Wrap prosciutto around the cherry mozzarella ball. Carve out a small slot for the half-olive using a spoon. Place the olive in the spot.  
  1. Place the eyeballs on the pasta and enjoy! 

Rest-in-pizza 

Serves 4 

Difficulty: Medium 

Prep time: 20 minutes 

Total time: 30 minutes 

Whole wheat pizzas topped with the classics and veggies made into spooky toppings make this meal a wholesome option ahead of trick-or-treating. Using simple ingredients, this recipe transforms classic pizza night into an edible art project. 

Ingredients:

  • Whole wheat tortillas 
  • Pizza sauce 
  • Shredded mozzarella cheese 
  • Protein of choice, such as shredded chicken 
  • Small can black olives 
  • Fresh white mushrooms, stems intact  

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  
  1. On lined baking sheets, place tortillas. 
  1. Top tortillas with pizza sauce, protein of choice, followed by mozzarella cheese. 
  1. Make mushrooms skulls. Halve the mushrooms. Use a straw to pierce two eye holes on the button of the mushroom.  
  1. Use a butterknife to score a mouth and nose. 
  1. Place “spiders” using black olives. Cut whole olives longways, use half of the olive as the “body”. Cut a few olives into thin strips, these will be used as legs. 
  1. Bake pizza for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and lightly golden. 

Focusing on prevention like healthy eating and exercise can lead to lower health care costs and more affordable insurance for all. Learn about Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s (BCBSM) commitment to affordability here. 

  

Shanthi Appelo is a registered dietitian and health and wellness spokesperson at BCBSM. For more health and wellness information, visit ahealthiermichigan.org.