What Happened to the Trick?

By Linda Garrettson

October is a month when I rejoice about the fact that my weeds have finally stopped growing. Brilliant bursts of color, orange in particular, dominate the landscape. October also brings scary lawn decorations, shorter days and pumpkins on doorsteps. It culminates with the magic, wonderment, and excitement of Halloween—a chance to dress up as anything from a bumble bee to Darth Vader, carve a jack-o-lantern and go trick or treating.

When I was growing up in a neighborhood of baby boomers, my world was two blocks of post-war brick homes. Halloween on my street was the highlight of our year. We knew everyone in the neighborhood, so receiving fruit or homemade brownies was no cause for alarm. The “trick” was still in trick or treating, too. Little games or toys were part of our loot. We might even collect a quarter if we could answer trick questions, but there was always the candy. My mother never kept it in the house, thankfully, because sweets were (and are) my downfall.

Things changed by the time my daughters were growing up. Neighborhood trick or treating was replaced by the higher density streets of a downtown. Quantity of candy ruled the day. Even then, sugar was the real devil, as far as I my enlightened self was concerned, so I confiscated their loot. I kept it captive in a bowl on top of the refrigerator (the only place they couldn’t reach) and rationed out one piece a day.

After a week I usually managed to make it disappear. Call me the “No Fun” Mom.
Today I’m a grandmother and still beating the drum for no sugar. On one trick or treating night with my granddaughter, I handed out kazoos. I thought this was brilliant because kazoos don’t cause hyperactivity or cavities and it’s nearly impossible to blow on a kazoo and eat candy at the same time. Now you can call me the “No Fun Grandma.”

But this grandma still celebrates Halloween and memories of joyous children in costumes and the magic of that wonderful night. Another thing I celebrate is the pumpkin, the bright orange, delicious and nutritious pumpkin, and pride of my garden. Before you start carving faces into them, try this recipe. It is a yummy, easy, healthy treat for the lunchbox or a snack after the candy is gone. Save the noisy kazoo for another day but use organic ingredients when you can.

Pumpkin Muffins

Wet ingredients
1 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree (Steam and mash fresh pumpkin if you are feeling adventurous, 2-3 cups will do it).
1/4 cup maple syrup1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup non-fat yogurt
Dry Ingredients
2 cups flour (I used 1 cup of white whole wheat, 1/2 cup each of almond and oat flours)
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sea salt
3 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup of golden raisins

Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line a 12-cup muffin pan with compostable baking cups
Whisk together the wet ingredients in one bowl
Stir together the dry ingredients in a second bowl
Stir the dry into the wet ingredients, blend well
Add the pumpkin seeds and raisins and continue to blend
Fill the muffin cups evenly with the batter
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean

Makes 12 muffins
Nutrition notes: Pumpkins are heart healthy, lower blood pressure and increase immunity. They are loaded with beta-carotene (four times more than carrots) and good for your eyes. The seeds are anti-inflammatory, high in B vitamins, iron, calcium and zinc.