Rae Udy

RECIPES: Blue Brew, Halloween Carrot Cookies, Caramel Popcorn Balls

By Rae Udy

In recent years, Halloween parties provide fun and good food for young and old alike.
Greet your spooky guests with a cauldron of Blue Brew to cast a healthful spell. Nutritious blueberries combine with apple juice to provide a fun beverage low in fat and calories. Blue Brew contains three grams of fat and 124 calories.
Halloween Carrot Cookies is a sneaky way to get the kids to eat nutritious carrots. These delicious cookies provide vitamins C and A, iron and calcium to your trick-or-treaters without them knowing.
Caramel Popcorn Balls are as much fun to make as they are to eat. Rich in fiber, these popcorn balls contain about 130 calories and just three grams of fat.
An attractive tray of crisp, fresh veggies and bite-size fruit pieces will add to the festivities. Have a healthy, safe Halloween.

   

Blue Brew

2 1/2 (two and one-half) cups fresh or frozen, thawed blueberries
2 cups apple juice
2 cups low-fat yogurt ice cream
1/2 (one-half) cup low-fat milk
1/4 (one-quarter) teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a blender whirl blueberries, apple juice, ice cream, milk and cinnamon until smooth. Serve immediately to six.

   

Halloween Carrot Cookies

1 cup carrots
2 Tablespoons water
3/4 (three-quarter) cup sugar
1/2 (one-half) cup butter
1 egg, well beaten
2 cups unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 (one-quarter) teaspoon pure almond extract
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 (one-quarter) cup orange juice
1/2 (one-half) teaspoon lemon juice
Low-fat milk, as needed

Peel carrots and cut into one-inch pieces into a microwave safe covered casserole dish. Add water and cook covered on High for three minutes or until soft. Mash well and set aside until cool. In a large mixing bowl, cream sugar and butter. Add egg and mix well. Fold in prepared carrots. Mix in flour, baking powder, salt, spice and almond extract. Drop by teaspoonful on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool two minutes before removing to cooling racks. Continue baking remaining cookies. When cookies are completey cool make frosting. Combine powdered sugar, orange juice and lemon juice. Add milk by teaspoonfuls if too frosting is too stiff. Frost cookies and decorate with raisins, dried fruit or nuts, if desired. Yields about three dozen cookies.

   

Caramel Popcorn Balls

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 (one-half) cup water
2 tablespoons whole milk
8 cups air-popped corn

Dissolve brown sugar in water. Stir and bring to boil. Lower heat to simmer and stop stirring. Cook for another five minutes until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and carefully stir in milk. Cool to room temperature. Pour over popcorn. Spray hands with nonstick cooking spray and form balls. Wrap popcorn balls in plastic wrap when completely dry. Yields about one dozen three-inch balls.