The Teal Pumpkin Project

I hope to have my next full post up by tomorrow so, stay tuned!

I found this a day after Halloween and am excited about it for next year.  It is called The Teal Pumpkin Project and it is a movement of families that hope to provide "trick-or-treating" for children with food allergies.  The idea is to provide small toys instead of candy, things like glow sticks and bubbles.  I've had this dilemma for the past couple years.  It is hard to justify buying $40 worth of candy to pass out when 1. I know the ingredients are BAD (I know these are treats, but the ingredients lists are yuk!) and 2. No one in our family will eat the candy.  I guess it boils down to, if I wouldn't eat it myself why am I giving it to children?  I was reaffirmed in this idea when James had digestive distress the day after Halloween.  We let him have a Hershey bar while picking apples and he actually ate it (which, if you know my son, is a BIG deal).

The next day he woke up screaming from his nap and screamed for the entire evening.  It looked like his stomach was hurting him and that Hershey bar is the likely culprit.  I went against my better judgement thinking it would be a nice treat and he wouldn't ingest much of it.  From now on I'll have to get him better quality treats.  And maybe next year we'll give out glow bracelets.

We did dress the kids up at the eleventh hour and went trick-or-treating with my younger siblings and cousin.

 James wasn't collecting candy, but we thought he would enjoy going to the houses and saying "hi".  I think the houses were a little too scary for him because he told us "no".  He did like walking with everyone, it turned out to be a pretty nice night.  I will admit that I was SO tempted to chow down on a Reese's cup when we went to my parents for trick-or-treating.  I am glad that I mentioned it to Mark because he convinced me that was a bad idea.  I really needed that support and I am glad I didn't eat it, I'm sure I would have regretted it.

Now that I am AIP I am not eating peanut butter or any nut butter for that matter.  But, it is super easy to make nut butter cups.  For the filling you mix nut butter with a little sweetener (I recommend grade B maple syrup), roll them into balls and stick them in the freezer.  While those chill, heat coconut oil, chocolate powder and sweetener (honey or maple syrup) on the stove.  The frozen nut butter balls can then be dipped in the chocolate sauce which should "freeze" around the nut butter like a magic shell thanks to the coconut oil.  Then you can chill again before eating.  Be sure to keep in the fridge!  I think this is on the menu for next Halloween when, hopefully, I will be done with AIP!

Mine are designed to be shaped into balls (and I don't have a set recipe), but here is a good recipe for flatter nut butter cups.

Happy treating!