Happy Halloween! This is a busy week for us - Halloween is just the beginning of the "mini-triduum" of Hallowtide: All Hallow's Eve, All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day. Lots of fun and devotion and proper attention to death are planned. (For more info on how and why Catholics celebrate Halloween, click here!)
Almond Joy Oatmeal A special request for "coconut oatmeal" and an abundance of Halloween candy staring me down all day inspired this recipe. Enjoy!
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 15-ounce can coconut milk
2 cups water
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
dash of salt
1/2 cup shredded coconut (I used unsweetened, but you could use the sugary coconut!)
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Sweetener to taste (I used maple syrup, but honey, coconut sugar, brown sugar, or stevia would work!)
Put the oats, coconut milk, water and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook until almost done (5-8 minutes). Add the rest of the ingredients, mix well, and serve! (For an added boost of protein, and to cool it down quickly for little people, I stir in a dollop of greek yogurt.)
Have you seen this video yet? Eeeeyikes. Can you imagine living across the street?
We're not big Halloween people. I bought a $5 bee costume-in-a-bag last year, complete with antennae and wings, and I fully intend for that to be my go-to costume for at least the next few years. There's a lot to hate about Halloween, like the parade of sluttily-costumed drunk girls, the constant barrage of candy, and the pressure to love scary stuff. I think Joy's take on Halloween is spot-on.
I don't like being scared. Last year we went to this haunted trail thing with some friends, and there was a portion of it that was inside... I tell you, that was terrifying. And I think the worst thing is that you can't bail! You can't get scared mid-haunted house and say, "You know what, I don't like scary things. I'm out." The only way out is through! And who knows what that means?! My heart rate is rising just thinking about it.
What with the aforementioned barrage of candy, I'm guessing you probably don't need a recipe for another treat. Chocolate pumpkin cupcakes with awesome chocolate Halloween-shaped toppers on them? Cookies in the shape of candy corn? I mean, these things sound fabulous, but why oh why am I baking when I have a giant bowl of candy sitting in my house? I should be running away to two-a-day yoga classes! And let's be serious... I live in the city. How many trick-or-treaters am I really going to get? (Oh please, kids, come to my house. I don't want to eat this candy all by myself!)
What you need, this time of year, is a way to be festive without baking yourself into a diabetic coma. At least that's what I need. And in the spirit of that, here are some spooktacular savory recipe ideas!
from The Food Network
Tomato soup in little vials = vampire blood? Some kind of potion? You decide. Grilled cheese sandwiches on pumpernickel cut into Halloween shapes! Love this! So simple.
from Martha Stewart
Of course Martha has a million great ideas on her website. There's a whole list, but my favorites were the Cauldron Curry (above), Spider Web Eggs, and Mashed Boo-tatoes. Some of the other stuff on that list... I don't know. How disgusting do you want your food to look? How far will you go in pursuit of creepy-ness? I prefer to err on the side of cute and still-appetizing.
