Halloween8

Here is another eerily tasty beverage idea for a Healthy Raw Halloween party.

Swamp-water Smoothie

Ingredients for smoothie:
6 fresh pineapple spears
2 frozen bananas
4 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup fresh mint
1/2 cup water

For garnish:
1 tablespoon hemp seeds
1 tablespoon chia seeds
6-8 of the tiniest mint leaves
6-8 goji berries, soaked and sprinkled with a few chia seeds, optional for ladybugs
1 coconut skull ice cube, optional*

*For ice cube, blend the meat and water from 1 young coconut until smooth and freeze overnight in a skull mold. The mold holds 3 cups, my coconut was 2 and 1/2 cups, so it did not fill completely. Pass under warm water to make it easier to pop out of mold.

If using coconut ice sculpture, put a small custard cup up-side down in bottom of punch bowl, as the ice will sink. You can let it sink if you want it to reveal itself as your guests serve the smoothie:) Another suggestion is to use two ice molds(back to back), or just an ice block, to elevate the skull from the smoothie.

1. Combine pineapple, banana, spinach, mint, and water in high speed blender until smooth.

2. Pour into prepared bowl. Lay scull onto custard cup, if using.

3. Sprinkle with hemp seeds, chia seeds, tiny mint leaves, and goji ladybugs, if using.

Of course, you can make this with any flavor smoothie and ice sculpture. A green smoothie skull in a light tropical smoothie would look awesome too!

The ladybugs are from my Ladybugs on a Log. They would be a cute snack for the little ones at the party.

Ladybugs on a Log

Ingredients:
1 stalk celery
1 tablespoon almond butter
5 dried goji berries, soaked for 1 hour
1 sprinkle chia seeds, pictured, or poppy or black sesame seed

Preparation:
1. Wash and dry celery.

2. Fill with almond butter.

3. Sprinkle berries with seeds, and place across almond butter.

A variation:
ladybugs on a "raft"
Top sliced apple,pear,banana the same way.
Sprinkle the fruit slices with lemon or orange juice if making ahead (to slow browning)
Sprinkle with cinnamon, optional before adding the "ladies"!

Another quick fruit idea for the kiddies:)

Spooky Silhouette Slices

1. Simply cut slices of any fruit. Apple and pear can be sprinkled with lemon or orange juice to prevent browning. Melons work well for this idea.

2. Cut out center of apple or pear slices with a tiny cutter shape large enough to remove any seeds. Discard this cut out if it has seeds.

3. Cut out a contrasting color of fruit slice (the same thickness) with same shape.

4. Fill in the hole with contrasting colored fruit shape. All edible scraps can be blended into smoothie:)

I have also made these with geometric shapes to teach basic shapes to little ones:)

This eerie edible is a version of my goji jam and apple fries:

Cut fruit with bone shaped cutters and serve with a side of red jam for dipping:)
Remember to sprinkle apple and pear with lemon juice, and a sprinkle of cinnamon if the little ones like it:)