Healthy Halloween Treats

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31 October, apple a day, banana, bases, blood sugar, bones, bunch of bananas, carve, celery, chocolate chips, cool concoction, cool costumes, core, crunchy carrot, cucumber, drinks, eye of newt, five a day goal, freak, fruity frogs, fussy eaters, ghost, guests, Halloween, Instagram, jelly sweet, kiwi fruit, lychee, magic, marshmallows, munched, naughty, olives, party, pepper, photo, pumpkin, sick salad, silver platter, slice, sliced grapes, spiders, spooky snacks, strawberries, supreme, sweets and chocolates, tangerine segments, temptation, toe of frog, tomato sauce, Vitamin C, waistline, wash

With cooler than cool costumes being chosen and tricks being planned, Halloween is in the air and it is coming to get you!

While many of us think of stocking up on sweets and chocolates for 31st October, but these aren’t the only things you can serve up to party guests and doorstep visitors.

We have had a look at some spooky snacks which look, and taste great, but won’t play havoc with your blood sugar levels or waistline.

Haunted pizzas
Make your own bases, then add tomato sauce, cut out ghost shapes from mozzarella and make olives for eyes, and when it comes out of the oven, you will have a wicked haunted pizza that people will be dying to eat.

Serve a skeleton with slime
This idea is super simple but also totally delicious and good for you. Place slices of crunchy carrot, cucumber, pepper, and celery together on a plate in the shape of a skeleton. Then mix the eye of newt and toe of frog (avocado and lemon juice to you and I) and you will have slime to go with your bones.

Kiwi frogs
If you want to ensure that your five a day goal is reached, even when the temptation is to go for the toffees, fruity frogs are a real winner. Layer thick slices of ripe kiwi fruit, add a slice of strawberry to make a tongue, and blueberries are great for eyes, and you will soon have a healthy witching treat, even fussy eaters will enjoy.

Sick salad
This sounds gross, but it is actually really delicious. Buy an extra pumpkin, wash and clean it, carve out eyes and a mouth and put your masterpiece on a large plate. Then, place a cool concoction of fruit like strawberries, sliced grapes, tangerine segments, blueberries and melon balls in the mouth of the pumpkins, and you will have a sick salad just waiting to be eaten – but take a photo for Instagram (#halloween) before you do!

Banana ghosts
Now you see them, now you don’t! Banana ghosts are really simple to make, look brilliant, and are just a little bit naughty too. Take a bunch of bananas (medium-sized and not too soft), peel and chop them in half, stand flat side down on a plate, create mouths and eyes from chocolate chips and you have a seriously spooky offering.

Satsuma pumpkins
For a tempting dose of Vitamin C, why not use a little magic to turn your satsumas into pumpkins? Take a bag of the little lovelies, peel them, put them on a spooky napkin on a plate, add a carrot stick to make a stork and a sprinkling of plastic spiders, and you have created a scary masterpiece. You can also smear celery sticks with peanut butter, strategically place a handful of fake spiders and you’ll have some spooky logs just waiting to be munched.

Just add eyeballs
If you want to really freak your guests out, forget the ice and add eyeballs to their drinks. You can buy jelly sweet versions, or if you want to go for the natural option, stuff a lychee with a blueberry, pierce with a cocktail stick and then rest this on the rim of a glass and watch their mouths fall open!

We hope we have shown you that sweets don’t have to reign supreme when it comes to Halloween, and we wish you a very scary 31 October.

Team Pure Beauty

Nuts about nuts

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almonds, antioxidant-rich, avocado, baking, bone building calcium, Brazil nuts, calcium, calorie, cancer fighting, cereal, Chestnuts, deficient thyroid, eart-healthy fats, energy giving, ground chestnut flour, healthy fat, high fat content, hormones balanced, immune system, lower cholesterol levels, Macadamias, magnesium, minerals, mono-unsaturated, nature, nuts, oleic acid, olives, omega-3 rich, potassium, powerhouses, protein, salty toppings, selenium, skin, small packages, snacking, starchy carbs and fibre, strong, sugary, tip-top condition, Vitamin B3, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, vitamins, walnuts

Nuts are most certainly nature’s way of proving that good things come in small packages.

Nuts are quite literally bite-size nutritional powerhouses that are packed with heart-healthy fats, minerals, protein and vitamins.

We know nuts are high in fat and calories, but as long as you don’t eat handfuls and avoid the ones coated in sugary, salty toppings, adding nuts to your diet can help your health.

So, let’s get the lowdown on what’s good when it comes to nuts.

Almonds
Almonds are a great choice because that are high in Vitamin E, a nutrient that feeds your skin and keeps it looking plump and healthy. The benefits don’t end there, because they also contain bone building calcium making them perfect for anyone who doesn’t eat dairy products. Add almonds to your cereal and make sure you keep the skin on because it is full of the heart-protecting compounds flavonoids.

Brazil Nuts
Talk to most people and they will know someone with a deficient thyroid. If this is you, you need Brazil nuts in your life. Brazil nuts are a fantastic good source selenium, the mineral that is needed to produce the active thyroid hormone that keeps you in good health. Selenium also helps keep your immune system strong and just three or four nuts a day are all you need for good mineral levels.

Chestnuts
You might not know this, but raw chestnuts are a fabulous source of Vitamin C. They also have the lowest calorie and fat count of all nuts but are still rich in starchy carbs and fibre. While they are lower in protein than other nuts they do still contain B vitamins including B6 which helps keep hormones balanced and healthy. Fresh and roasted chestnuts make a healthy snack and ground chestnut flour is delicious when used for baking.

Macadamias
Macadamias are delicious and found in many dishes, and while they have a high fat content this is the healthy mono-unsaturated variety type. They are a rich source of and contain magnesium, calcium and potassium, so enjoy them but in small amounts.

Pecans
If you want to keep your heart in tip-top condition, the mere pecan can be your friend because they are full of compounds that help lower cholesterol levels. They are also antioxidant-rich and contain oleic acid, the healthy fat you also get in avocado and olives. If you get tired, you’ll benefit from snacking on pecans as they are crammed full of energy giving Vitamin B3, so enjoy.

Walnuts
We love walnuts because they are jam-packed with cancer fighting antioxidants and are a brilliant source of mono-unsaturated, heart-friendly fats. If that wasn’t enough, they omega-3 rich so great for a vegetarian and vegan lifestyle.

So, the next time you are in the supermarket, add some nuts to your basket and snack the healthy way.

Team Pure-Beauty

Soup, the winter smoothie

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10 minutes, basic, basil, big hit of flavour, boil, bowl, bread and cheese, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chicken, cold, favroute, freezer, fresh parsley, friends, garlic, hot, leek, lunch, melt, olive oil, olives, plain flour, powder, recipe, red onions, salt and pepper, saucepan, smoothie, sock cubes, soft, soup, stock, supper, tablespoon of chopped, vegetables, water, white onions, work

Whilst there is nothing better in the summer than a chilled smoothie packed with berry goodness, in the cooler months you might want something that will warm you up as well as fill you with vitamins.

Maybe now is the time swap your blender for pots and pans and your smoothie for soup.

Soups are an age-old staple that nourishes body and soul and helps you use up the vegetables in the fridge that may have seen better days.

Whether you are a liquid lover of soups, stews or chowders, we have put together some super-ideas that are packed with nutritious goodness and fantastic flavour.

Lets start with the classic chicken soup. This feel good favourite can be enjoyed with friends for lunch, as an early supper with chunks of bread and you can keep some in the freezer for when colds strike.

To make one wholesome pan you will need:

5g of organic, salted butter
2 white onions, sliced and diced
2 sticks of finely sliced celery
2 large carrots, sliced and diced
1 yellow pepper, free of seeds and sliced
1.5 litres of chicken stock
450g of cooked chicken (ideally cubed or shredded)
25g of organic plain flour
1 tablespoon of chopped, fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

With your ingredients ready, gently melt the butter in a large saucepan and once hot, fry the onions, celery and carrots until they start to soften. Stir in the flour and cook for around two more minutes.

Slowly add the stock to the pot and gently bring the mixture to the boil, stirring all the time.

Season the liquid with salt and pepper, then simmer for around 15 minutes so that the vegetables are soft, but not mushy.

Finally add the chicken and parsley and simmer for another 30 minutes.

Serve with bread and cheese and feel that goodness get to work.

Homemade vegetable soups are one of the tastiest, healthiest options out there and can be part of any family meal.

Whilst we love this easy to make soup, it is just a base and you can add in pretty much anything else you want to get a bowl that is right for you.

For a big pot you will need:

3 tablespoons of olive oil
3 chopped carrots chopped
2 chopped red onions
½ cabbage that has had the core and outer leaves taken off
1 chopped, trimmed leek
1 chopped courgette
One handful of chopped mushrooms
1 red pepper, sliced and free of seeds
1.5 litres of water
Vegetable stock cubes or powder
A handful of chopped basil leaves (ideally fresh)
A handful of chopped parsley, again fresh is best
1 crushed clove of garlic

Now, let’s get to work:

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and when hot, add the carrots, and onion and gently fry to remove the water content and create flavour.

Add the cauliflower, cabbage and then stir in the leeks and courgette.

Allow the vegetables to cook for 10 minutes and then add the water and stock before bringing to the boil

Simmer for 15 minutes then add the lovely basil and parsley and finally for the big hit of flavour, add the garlic.

If you can let the soup sit for at least half an hour before serving with bread, cheese and olives.

Got a favourite soup recipe, drop us a line and let us know what is is.

Team Pure-Beauty

The perfect BBQ

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apron, BBQ, beef tomatoes, butchers, chicken, Chops, chutney, cook, corn on the cob, courgettes, couscous, cucumber, Frech bread, green salad, grill, hydration, lemon wedges, lumps, nibbles, olives, organic, oven, pasta, pasts, pitta, recipe, recipes, sausages, sides, summer, supermarket, tomoatoes, tongs, twist, well-seasoned

Whilst the weather might not be playing ball, we are still certainly making the most of the summer days and longer, lighter nights.

Wearing an extra jumper, putting an umbrella in your bag and having a weather app on your phone are all ways you can be prepared for whatever the great British weather throws at you.

Another summer winning is being sure are ready for a BBQ at the drop of the hat – even if you end up wearing it.

First, things first, get your kit right. The real essentials are an apron, oven gloves (heavy duty), good quality (not plastic) fish slice, foil and of course a pair of tongs so you reduce the chance of losing those tasty burgers in the ashes.

It is essential to place your BBQ on a flat even level and keep it away from bushes and tress to reduce fire hazards. On a health and safety note, you might want to have a bucket of water close to hand – just in case.

Get the right charcoal. It is really easy to pick up a bag of bricks at the supermarket, but if you want your food to taste great, you need to choice your fuel carefully. Lumpwood charcoal is an excellent choice. If you want to go pro and really impress your guests, chicory wood chips add amazing flavour and a professional twist.

If you want to achieve the perfect BBQ, you have to be patient. The secret is waiting for the flames to die down and for the coals to be grey and glowing. Once you have got to this point, you then need to ensure you control the temperature to ensure your food is well cooked.

What to cook is next on the list.

Keep it fresh, healthy and where you can, organic. Yes you can go to the freezer section of the supermarket and go for those tempting BOGOF offers, but they don’t really make the perfect BBQ cut.

If you have the time, go for homemade burgers. These are super-easy to make and taste phenomenal. Get some fresh, organic minced beef, mix with a little salt and pepper, shape into patties and get them on the grill. Cook them all the way through, serve in focaccia or pitta and those natural flavours will really stand out.

Chops, chicken and sausages are other BBQ favourites as are jacket potatoes! Local butchers stock an outstanding selection of organic, well-seasoned BBQ options and will be happy to talk about how best to cook them and even what wine works well! You can also look at vegetable kebabs using peppers, courgettes and beef tomatoes with corn on the cob.

Put out nibbles of course but go for healthy sides if you can. Make up a crisp, fresh green salad with olives, tomatoes and spinach. Homemade potato salad and coleslaw are always winners. Couscous and pasta are popular choices as is chunky French bread and of course, classic burger buns. Ketchup, mayo and mustard, well they go without saying, and chutney is a pretty good addition too.

We know people love a pint or glass of wine at a BBQ but also offer jugs of iced water with lemon wedges and cucumber to maintain hydration levels.

Next week we will be looking at some great, easy to make BBQ recipes we know you are going to love.