MILLIONS of children will head out trick-or-treating this Halloween, hoping to collect a bucketful of sweets and chocolate on their rounds.
But research reveals the average kid will this week consume 3,190 calories from the sugary treats alone.
Here are three great recipe ideas to get healthy fruit and veg into your little monsters.
Green Pea Slime Soup
Serves 8 — £1.27 per serving
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
YOU NEED:
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 2 sticks celery, finely diced
- 350g potatoes, finely diced
- 1½ litres vegetable stock
- 800g frozen peas
- 8 rashers streaky bacon
METHOD: Heat the oil in a large pan, and stir-fry the onion, celery and potatoes. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for ten minutes.
Add peas, bring back to the boil and simmer for another ten minutes. Then blitz the soup in a blender until almost smooth.
Grill the bacon until very crispy, drain on some kitchen paper and snap into small pieces. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the bacon.
Spooky Eyeballs
Makes 14 — 32.5p per serving
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
YOU NEED:
- 375g puff pastry sheets
- 1 egg, beaten
- 150g soft cheese with garlic and herbs
- 14 pimento-stuffed green olives
- 5 semi-dried tomatoes
METHOD: Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan/Gas 3.5. Using a round 4.5cm pastry cutter, cut 28 circles from the puff pastry sheets.
Place 14 of the circles on a lined tray and brush with a little beaten egg. Using a 2cm round cutter, cut a circle from the middle of the remaining 14 circles and place each ring on top of the large rounds.
Brush again with egg and place into the oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden and puffed up. Remove and allow to cool slightly.
Press into the middle of each pastry circle with your finger then fill with the soft cheese with garlic and herbs.
Take 14 pimento stuffed green olives and place into the pastry as the “eyeball”. Cut your semi-dried tomatoes into thin strips and add as “eyebrows”.
Apple Teeth
Serves 4 — 45p per serving
Prep time: 15 minutes
YOU NEED:
- 2 red apples
- 150g mature white cheddar
METHOD: Core the two red apples and cut into wedges.
Cut the cheddar into cubes. Arrange the cubes between two wedges of apple to make the teeth.