When we waste food, the water, nutrients, energy and more that go into producing it get wasted too. Impacts are huge, yet the solutions are simple. It is easy for many households to save $500 plus 500kg of greenhouse gas pollution a year by cutting food waste in half.
Why not try some of these festive spooky snacks? They use seasonal and planet strong ingredients, you can't go wrong!
• ¾ cup medjool dates (soaked for 2-3 hours)
• ½-1 tbsp. tahini
• pinch of salt
• ¼ cup raw nut of choice (pecans or walnuts!)
• some water (for thinning if wanted)
• about 3-4 crisp organic, locally sourced apples
• wood sticks for serving
place soaked dates in blender, blend until a paste forms. Then add tahini, salt, nuts, water if wanted. Blend again until it takes a nice syrup-like consistency.
Rinse apples, stick wooden popsicle sticks through the core of the apple if dipping whole into the caramel OR slice and dip apples.
Enjoy!
Ghostly Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bites
• ½ cup natural peanut butter
• 1 tbsp. organic maple syrup
• ½ rolled oats
• 1 tbsp. ground flax
• a couple squares of your favorite planet strong chocolate
Melt peanut butter and maple syrup together in microwave, then stir to combine. Then Mix oats and flax together in separate bowl. After, pour PB and maple mixture over the dry ingredients and mix until moist and well combined. Put in the refrigerator until hardened. Remove from refrigerator and roll into balls.
Cut chocolate into little chunks and attach to top of balls to form pumpkin stems. If you’re feeling ambitious, melt some of the chocolate and use a toothpick (or other handy device) to paint little jack-o-lantern faces onto each ball.
• Peel Bananas
• Cut in half
• Press chocolate chips (or saltanas) into banana to form a ghostly face
• Roll in shredded coconut if you wish!
• Insert popsicle sticks in through the cut end
• Freeze for an hour or longer
Enjoy!
Raw Pumpkin Hummus
• 1 cup raw cubed pumpkin
• ½ tsp. fresh grated ginger
• juice from ½ a lemon
• 2 tblsp. Tahini
• ¼ cup water
• add salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in food processor and serve!
Don’t throw away your pumpkin seeds! Roast them for a yummy snack!
• Clean the seeds by rinsing in a colander
• Place in pot with water and a pinch of salt
• Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 10 minutes
• Drain and dry seeds
• Toss with extra virgin olive oil and a big more salt, then spread onto baking sheet
• Roast for 10 minutes at 165C
• EAT
• Preheat oven to 175C
• Wash pumpkin and pat dry
• Cut pumpkin in half, width wise
• Scoop out seeds and stringy things
• Cover with aluminum foil
• Bake for 90 minutes or until you can poke it and the skin gives way
• Remove from oven and let cool
• Scoop out inside and compost pumpkin skin and stem
• Strain through cheesecloth for smoother consistency
• Store in airtight container in fridge for up to one week!
Great for pies, muffins, cookies, lattes, hummus!
Make your own Pumpkin Pie Spice! (and maybe give it as a fun, festive gift in an old mason jar!?)
There’s really nothing to it!
• ¼ Cup ground cinnamon
• 1 tblsp ground nutmeg, or fresh grated if you’ve got it
• 1 tblsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground Allspice
• Optional: ground cloves if you like them!
Combine all into a jar, tightly seal, and shake to combine.