Paleo Halloween Treats

Here's another ripping post from our very own Leslie B, a working Mom who beat cancer and a double mastectomy and STILL finds time to experiment in the kitchen while raising two little devils (I mean boys) and occasionally running trails. Inspiring stuff!

Paleo Sweets for Halloween

Halloween is not inherently Paleo-friendly. In fact, the crazy amount of temptation you may feel to face plant into your kid’s Halloween bag is enough to derail any diet. This year, however, you will prevail.

You can do better than mass-produced cheap-ass chocolate!

You can say NO! to mini-candies that just look too cute not to eat!

Think of all the time you will save when you are not desperately trying to hide all the candy wrappers/evidence from the treats you have stolen from your kids!

Bring it, October. Be prepared and make yourself some special goodies of your own so that you can enjoy this Halloween guilt free.

Pumpkin Truffles

These pumpkin truffles are amazing, easy and incredibly delicious. This recipe makes about 20-24 truffles. I like mine cold, right from the refrigerator.

• 1 cup raw almond butter
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 cup raisins soaked for 1 hour in warm water
• 1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon or pumpkin spice blend
• Extra coconut for rolling

Throw all the ingredients except the extra coconut into a food processor and blend until only small raisin pieces remain. These pieces should be around the size of a rice grain. Hey, calm down.  Don't go getting all allergenic just because I said "grain".  These are safe (and delicious), trust me.  

Take one tablespoon of the mixture at a time and roll into a ball. Now roll the ball into the extra shredded coconut. Refrigerate for one hour and then try not to eat them all in one sitting.

World Famous "Any Nut Butter" Stuffed Prunes 

Deep breath.  I know, cashews aren't Paleo.  We tolerate them well in my family AND they made these look cool (half the battle with feeding kiddos), so I used 'em.  You don't have to use them, in fact ANY nut butter will do.  On to the recipe!

We all love dates. They are popular, sweet, sexy and expensive…

Well, guess what? I was planning on stuffing dates, then I realized prunes were almost black and they can lend a spooky Halloween-like vibe to these healthy treats.  Time to spook it up, yo!

Use any nut butter you like, but my cashew butter had a nice orange tint to it so that is what I used. I made a separate, almost black topping from raw cacao to finish them off.

• 14 prunes cut down the middle, but not quite in half.
• 7 tablespoons nut butter of your choice
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
• 2 tablespoons raw cacao
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• Sea salt for sprinkling

Using a sharp paring knife, cut a large slit in the prunes. Fill each prune with ½ a tablespoon of nut butter. After you have melted your coconut oil, stir in the cacao and maple syrup.

Drizzle this mixture over your stuffed prunes, sprinkle lightly with sea salt and refrigerate for one hour. These stuffed prunes are amazing fresh out of the fridge but are also wonderful at room temperature.

Be forewarned, they can be a little messy, but they are incredibly delicious.

I'll finish off this Halloween Treat post with a poem I wrote with one of my boys.  Send our Pulitzer to Leslie & Sons, c/o Paleo Treats in San Diego.   

Ode to Sad Halloween Candy

The night has ended
Bags are full
Moms and dads empty out
The candy bowl

Costumes are strewn
Across the floor
Loud begging begins
“More candy! More!”

A Snickers is
A small price to pay
A Reeses here
Or a Milky Way

The chocolate goodies
Are the first to go
Next the skittles
Covered in sour snow

Starbursts are
A classic treat
Gum drops, pixie sticks
And other sweets

Then November winds
Begin to blow
Dust settles in on
Tootsie rolls

Broken mints
Passed over pops
The time has come
For this to stop

Sad leftover candy
Trashed every year
Halloween excitement
Replaced with holiday cheer.

******************************

As always, we recommend you trash candy immediately upon arrival in your home and dump ice cold water over your trick or treaters just to help them associate candy with poison.  A few lashes with the whip may help accentuate this aversion.  Happy Halloween!  

Want this recipe as a 1 page PDF you can easily print?  Check out our eBook, On Being Paleo, which includes 30+ recipes (including this one) along with an easy Intro to Paleo and a guide through the 7 Pillars of Paleo.

• Lunchbox Friendly Paleo Muffin Recipe
• Will Your Kids Eat Paleo?
• Paleo On A Budget

Too much reading...
How about dessert?

Take me to the store

Leave a comment