Even now Halloween is still one of my favorite holidays; I guess I’m just a kid at heart. Although I’m no longer the kid that could sit down and eat half  my Halloween booty in one night, I’m  still known to raid my kids bag to find my childhood favorites. But now-a-days I go for the healthier treats to eat and to give out.

In this day in age where our first concerns are about safety and childhood obesity, I like to offer options of treats that are more along the lines of low-calorie and low-fat. Besides the fact that many of these treats kids love, they also make great snacks for their lunch boxes.

Treats to Give

Here are some ideas of health conscience treats to get you started:

• Cheese and cracker packages (look for low-sodium)
• Sugar-free gum
• Juice box packages (100%)
• Small packages of nuts or raisins
• Package of instant cocoa mix
• Peanuts in the shell
• Snack size microwave popcorn (low-sodium)
• Goldfish crackers snack packages
• Cereal bars
• Pretzel packages

You could also consider giving some non-food treats, such as stickers, crayons, pencils, colored chalk, erasers, small games, baseball cards, ponytail holders, rubber insects or worms. A few times when I ran out of treats I even gave out money (change) but with today’s economy a little won’t go a long way and you might need that money for gas.

Trick-or-Treating

To help fight the temptation of  digging into their goodie bag before they get home, you want to make sure children eat a meal or snack before going  trick-or-treating.

When children return home, check the treats and keep only treats which are unopened.

Be sure to inspect fruits and homemade goods for anything suspicious. (Unfortunately, I usually throw these treats away unless I know who they came from)

It’s better to eat trick-or-treat candy over several weeks as a substitute for dessert or a few pieces along with a healthy snack.

Halloween Party

If you’ve opted for a Halloween party instead of, or before trick-or-treating this can be a lot of fun. Reduce safety concerns and be nutritious as well.

I know for any event with kids Pizza is always a favorite, it’s easy, it serves many and the kids love it. For Halloween why not put a spin on it and let the kids help make their own. Mini Pizzas; Let kids arrange sliced olives, green peppers, red peppers, mushrooms, pepperoni, and other things on English muffins or bagels brushed with tomato sauce. Top with grated cheese and heat in the microwave or oven until the cheese melts. They can even make pizza faces and use the cheese for hair.

Treats for your party could include colored popcorn, apples with peanut butter, frozen grapes, carrot and celery sticks with fun dips with names like witches brew and goblins goo, spider crackers; two Ritz crackers, with peanut butter, small pretzel sticks as spider legs, and two raisins with a little peanut butter to stick to the cracker as eyes, banana or apple chips, string cheese, low-fat or non-fat ice cream with chocolate syrup and scary worms on top.

The key to a healthy Halloween Party or any kids’ party is to watch portion sizes and adjusting the focus from foods to activities.

Have fun and don’t forget the scary music!

Supermodel and Designer Kathy Ireland Shares Her Beauty Regime

BY: CINDY PEARLMAN

OCTOBER 12, 2012

Kathy Ireland forces herself to work out …just like the rest of us. She shares other beauty tips, too.

Marvelous Marigolds

When the weather gets chilly and the garden seems to have lost its color there is a flower that can brighten up the garden, the marigold.  Marigolds love the cooler weather; they are hardy, cheerful and pretty so how could they not be our flower of the month for October

Marigolds are an annual plant so they are perfect for filling in areas in the garden that have lost the pizzazz of summer; they also look great in containers and window boxes.  There are two genera of marigold:  Tagetes and Celendula.  African marigolds and French marigolds are part of the genus Tagetes and the very popular pot marigolds are part of the genus Calendula.

Marigolds come many different colors but they are they are most commonly known for their signature fall colors of yellow and orange.  They are not known for their scent as it is a strong and quite unpleasant but it does keep away some critters and pests which can prove very useful.

Marigolds can be grown in the coldest of climates and are very resilient despite their delicate petals; this makes them a great fall flower and a popular pick for many gardeners. They like full sun and do best in well drained soil; mulching around the base of the plant will help it to retain moisture and protect the roots from heavy frosts.  In some warmer regions the marigold can bloom well into the winter, what a lovely cold weather treat.

Like Mums, that other fall favorite, they look good in mass plantings or scattered about in pots on the patio or front doorstep adding cheer and color wherever they grow.  French marigolds are gorgeous flowers with multicolored petals; there autumnal hues look as if they have been painted.  African marigolds are very common and equally lovely, their orange and yellow blooms are a joyful sight and they are the most popular member of all the marigold family.

Marigolds are marvelous and they are a wonderful way to brighten up fall by adding a splash of color to an autumn landscape.

Cooler days, falling leaves, a vibrant landscape of gold and orange and Halloween lurking just around the corner; autumn has arrived with all its magic and there are so many things to do in the garden that fall will cast its magic spell on the young and the young at heart.

Here are some great ideas for fall gardening fun:

1. Fall is a wonderful time to talk to kids about leaves, their different shapes and colors; you could play a matching game and see if they can match the fallen leaves with the right tree.
2. If you want to bring the outdoors inside just bring some leaves indoors and make some fall art. Use the leaves in a collage, all you need is paper (construction is sturdier and brightly colored) and some glue then you are in business; have little hands glue the leaves to the paper to make a fall scene all their own.
3. Have the kids grab some wax paper and a crayon and place a nice fresh leaf (a dry one will just crumble) under the waxed sheet and gently rub the crayon over the body of the leaf and see the leaf come to life on the top of the paper, magic! Leaf rubbing is fun, fun, fun and a great way to bring the garden inside on chillier days.
4. What would fall be without a pumpkin? Carving a pumpkin has to be top on
   any kids’ list for Halloween fun and fun it shall be from start to finish. Fun can be educational
   too and teaching your kids about helping the environment and not wasting the earth’s
   resources need not be terrifyingly dull, here’s how to make it thrilling:
5. Let the kids pick out their own pumpkin from the pumpkin patch and not the store. Talk
   to them about how pumpkins are grown or take a tour of a working pumpkin farm; some
   farms will let you ride out to the area where the pumpkins are grown and actually choose
   the pumpkin from the earth, incredibly cool!
6. Carving pumpkins is fun and brings out the kid in the most grownup of grownups.
   Get creative, be safe and make it a fun, family affair that will always be remembered.
   Wash the seeds, shake them with salt and a drizzle of oil and bake them in the over,
   scarily delicious, then bake a frighteningly good pumpkin pie with the flesh of the pumpkin.
7. Lastly, when Halloween has scared its last victim, cut up the pumpkin and have the children
   add it to the composter or leave it out for the squirrels to munch on. Either way the kids will
   see just how one fruit, yes pumpkins are the world’s biggest berries, can be used from start
   to finish.

Fall is a magical time of year and if seeing is believing, just watch your kids become bewitched by autumn, that’s the enchantment of nature.

Window boxes can feel the chill after summer has flown and are often empty and devoid of color during the fall.  But window boxes can look magnificent and by using natures’ autumnal gifts you can make a wonderful display that will cheer up your garden and the whole neighborhood as well.

Gourds, pumpkins, squash can be used in a window box that celebrates the fall harvest; their autumnal colors and different shapes will add a dramatic touch to any display but beware of hungry critters who may like to eat your display for supper.

Marigolds are a gorgeous and hardy fall flower and they have a strong and pungent scent that is unappealing to many creatures.  Planting some marigolds could act as a deterrent for those hungry squirrels; they are also bright and colorful and look great in window box arrangements.

Mums are a symbol of autumn and they are the perfect antidote to the end of summer gardening blues, their jewel tones and mass of blooms cheers up any garden spot and window boxes are no exception.  There are smaller varieties of mums that are the perfect size for window boxes and can be popped inside them in their pots without the need for planting. Bare branches spray painted silver, gold or bronze can look simply magical when used amidst gourds and pumpkins they will add height and drama to your fall display.

You can often find them ready made at craft stores or garden centers at this time of year.  Branches with berries on them are also a wonderful way to dress up a fall window box and can be secured by sticking them in floral foam.   Autumn is a time of plenty and your window boxes can be a celebration of fall and the joys that nature brings with each season.

Kathy Ireland Joins Katie Couric’s Talk Show

9:17 AM PDT 10/9/2012 by THR Staff

a fall favorite of young and old alike

6 small apples, Granny Smith
1 package caramels (14 oz.)
2 tbsp. milk
1 cup chopped nuts
6 Popsicle sticks
Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Empty nuts onto the paper and divide into six equal heaps. Leave as much space as possible between each heap.

Wash and dry the apples. Twist off the stems and push Popsicle sticks half way onto the apples where the stems used to be.

Heat unwrapped Caramels and 2 tbsp. milk in large saucepan on medium-low heat, stirring until caramels are melted and smooth. Or place in micro-wave on low until the caramels are melted.

Dip apples into melted caramel, spooning caramel over apples to coat. Allow excess caramel to drip off, scraping bottom if necessary.

Place each apple, stick side up, onto a heap of nuts and roll over to cover.

Refrigerate until the caramel is firm, about 1/2 hour.

HAVE FUN!

Variations:

For Chocolate Lovers –
Chocolate Caramel Apples; Once caramel apples are set, melt chocolate candy coating according to package directions. Dip set caramel apples completely in chocolate. Allow excess to drain. Place on wax paper. Sprinkle with chopped nuts or coconut.

Or  once the caramel apples are set you can just drizzle them with melted white and dark chocolate for an eye catching treat.

OREO Cookies – roll caramel apple in finely crushed OREO Cookies.

Drain excess caramel and place upright on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Place in refrigerator until set.

.

LIVE Broadcast: The Bella Petite Hour Fall fun outdoors, fresh recipes and dining with Kathy Ireland Design Ambassadors Celebrity Chef Andre Carthen and award winning landscape designer and builder Nicholas Walker. Plus, exciting new giveaways to be announced on the show for our readers tune in!

We invite you to visit bellapetite.com for the full interview.

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Recipes from the show:

Caramel Apples
a fall favorite of young and old alike 

6 small apples, Granny Smith
1 package caramels (14 oz.)
2 tbsp. milk
1 cup chopped nuts
6 Popsicle sticks

Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Empty nuts onto the paper and divide into six equal heaps. Leave as much space as possible between each heap.

Wash and dry the apples. Twist off the stems and push Popsicle sticks half way onto the apples where the stems used to be.

Heat unwrapped Caramels and 2 tbsp. milk in large saucepan on medium-low heat, stirring until caramels are melted and smooth. Or place in micro-wave on low until the caramels are melted.

Dip apples into melted caramel, spooning caramel over apples to coat. Allow excess caramel to drip off, scraping bottom if necessary.

Place each apple, stick side up, onto a heap of nuts and roll over to cover.

Refrigerate until the caramel is firm, about 1/2 hour.

HAVE FUN!

Variations:

For Chocolate Lovers –
Chocolate Caramel Apples; Once caramel apples are set, melt chocolate candy coating according to package directions. Dip set caramel apples completely in chocolate. Allow excess to drain. Place on wax paper. Sprinkle with chopped nuts or coconut.

Or  once the caramel apples are set you can just drizzle them with melted white and dark chocolate for an eye catching treat.

OREO Cookies – roll caramel apple in finely crushed OREO Cookies.

Drain excess caramel and place upright on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Place in refrigerator until set.

————————————————————–
Apple Cranberry Crisp

Enjoy this crisp with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream.

5 large apples (granny smith or pippin)

1 cup whole cranberries, chopped

1 tbsp orange juice

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

2/3 cups sugar

1 tsp orange zest

CRISP TOPPING

1 cup flour

1 cup quick cooking rolled oaks

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter, cold butter, cut in small pieces

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Peel core, and slice apples. Toss apples and cranberries with orange juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and orange zest.

Place apples in a shallow, 2 quart ovenproof dish.

CRISP TOPPING

In a medium mixing bowl add flour, oaks, and sugar together. (Using a whisk will help blend the mixture together very nicely) Add butter, and using a fork or your fingers mix until mixture becomes crumbly.

Sprinkle crumbs over apples, covering completely.

Bake for about 35 to 45 minutes until crumbs are golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a sharp knife. If top browns before apples are cooked , cover with aluminum foil and lower temperature to 325ºF.

————————————————————–
Caramelized Rosemary Pears and Apples w/ Gorgonzola Cheese
a tasty combination of  fall apples, pears and tangy gorgonzola cheese with the earthiness of fresh rosemary

2 tbsp. butter, plus more for buttering pan

5 Bosc Pears, peeled, cored and each cut into 8 wedges

1 apple, cored and cut into 8 wedges

2 fresh rosemary sprigs

¼ cup sun raisins

¼ tsp. salt

Gorgonzola cheese, crumbles

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a baking pan and spread pear wedges on it in one layer. Bake until tender when pierced with a fork, 25 minutes. Let pears cool, cover with plastic wrap, and chill overnight.

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, melt 2 tbsp. butter. Add apples, cooking for 2 minutes, add pears, rosemary and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until apples and pears are brown and caramelized, 15 minutes. Remove from heat add raisins, to combine.

Sprinkle gorgonzola cheese over top just before serving. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

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Arugula, Apple, Dried Cranberries, Gorgonzola, Toasted Pecans Salad
The peppery taste of arugula greens with crisp granny smith apples, dried cranberries gorgonzola cheese, toasted pecans with raspberry balsamic vinaigrette
12oz fresh arugula
2 granny smith apples, cored and sliced
½ dried cranberries
½ cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
¼ cup toasted pecans, pieces

Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. honey

1 tbsp. raspberry spread (jelly), seedless

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

In a small bowl whisk together mustard, honey, and raspberry jelly until it forms a paste.

Whisk in vinegar, oil and a dash of salt and pepper to taste.

In a large bowl toss baby greens with walnuts and vinaigrette.

Serves 6-8

October 1: World Vegetarian Day

October 1: Pudding Season Begins

October 1: Homemade Cookies Day

October 2: National Fried Scallops Day

October 3: National Carmel Custard Day

October 4: National Taco Day

October 4: National Vodka Day

October 5: National Apple Betty Day

October 6: National Noodle Day

October 7: National Frappe Day

October 8: National Fluffernutter Day

October 8: National Pierogi Day

October 9: Moldy Cheese Day

October 9: Submarine-Hoagy-Hero-Grinder Day

October 10: National Angel Food Cake Day

October 11: National Sausage Pizza Day

October 12: National Gumbo Day

October 13: National Yorkshire Pudding Day

October 14: National Chocoalte- Covered Insects Day

October 15: National Chicken Cacciatore Day

October 15: National Roast Pheasant Day

October 16: World Food Day

October 16: National Liqueur Day

October 17: National Pasta Day

October 17: Four Prunes Day

October 18: National Chocolate Cupcake Day

October 19: National Seafood Bisque Day

October 20: National Brandied Fruit Day

October 21: National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day

October 21: Caramel Apple Day

October 22: National Nut Day

October 23: NationalBoston Cream Pie Day

October 23: National Canning Day

October 24: National Bologna Day

October 24: Good and Plenty Day

October 25: National Greasy Food Day

October 26 : Pumpkin Day

October 26 : Pretzel Day

October 26 : Mince Meat Pie Day

October 27 : National Potato Day

October 27: American Beer Day

October 28: National Chocolate Day

October 28: Wild Foods Day

October 29: National Oatmeal Day

October 30: National Candy Corn Day

October 30: Buy a Doughnut Day

October 31: National Candy Apple Day

October 31: Trick or Treat for UNICEF Day